Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in London have been (a) built and (b) refurbished through funding from the Education Funding Agency; how many of those schools have been fitted with sprinkler systems; and if she will make a statement.

The Government takes the safety of pupils and staff seriously. All schools have to follow strict fire safety regulations, including having a Fire Risk Assessment, designed to ensure that they are as safe as possible and well prepared in the event of a fire.

Where sprinklers are deemed necessary to keep pupils and staff safe, following an assessment of risk at the design stage, or to meet local planning requirements, they must be fitted. All new school building projects must comply with Building Regulations, including on fire safety, and this must be independently checked by Building Control or an Approved Inspector before buildings are occupied.

The Department does not collect data on the number of school fires. The Home Office publishes fire statistics on GOV.UK - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-statistics. These are taken from data supplied by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) and includes information on educational establishments.

As not all new schools are commissioned by the Department, we do not hold data on the number of all new schools that have been built with or without sprinklers installed. We do hold information on the centrally funded Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP). Of the 32 schools rebuilt in phase one of the PSBP in London, two include sprinkler systems. We do not hold comprehensive data on the number of Free Schools fitted with sprinklers as schools developed under the Free Schools programme were originally managed by the individual free school proposer groups.

The Department does not liaise directly with the FRS, including the London Fire Brigade, in the design of new school buildings. The Department commissions the design and build of schools under its central programmes and the FRS may be consulted by Building Control officers or contractors on individual projects whenever necessary.

Alongside the rest of Government, the Department will take forward findings from the independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire.