Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of schools at risk of closure due to disrepair or unsafe building materials in (a) Newcastle central constituency, (b) the North East and (c) the UK.

Education is a devolved matter. This response covers the approach in England only.

Nothing is more important than the safety of pupils and teachers. This is why the Department has been putting significant funding into maintaining schools across the country. Where there are serious safety issues with a building, the Department takes immediate and swift action to ensure the safety of pupils and school staff. There are no open areas within schools or college buildings where the Department knows of an imminent risk to life.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools and who work with their schools day to day to manage the safety and maintenance of their buildings. This includes academy trusts, Local Authorities and voluntary aided school bodies. The Department provides support on a case by case basis if it is alerted to a serious safety issue which responsible bodies cannot manage independently.

The Department is currently working with responsible bodies, schools, and colleges to identify the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their buildings. Once this work is complete, the Department will have a fuller idea of the presence of RAAC in the estate. Where RAAC is suspected, the Department’s professional surveyors carry out assessments to verify its presence. Over 200 surveys have been undertaken and by autumn 2023 we will have surveyed over 600 schools. If RAAC is confirmed, the Department provides rapid support to schools based on the advice of structural engineers. This could include funding capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where necessary, the provision of temporary buildings. Longer term remediation of RAAC is supported by capital funding provided to the sector, the Department’s rebuilding programme, and urgent capital support.

The Department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping school buildings safe and in good working order, including £1.8 billion committed for 2023/24. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at 500 schools, prioritising poor condition and potential safety issues.