Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with representatives of (a) the Roman Catholic Church and (b) Church of England on the safety of (i) block and beam concrete and (ii) high alumina cement constructions in schools managed by the dioceses of those Churches since 25 October 2022.

Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.