Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to prevent school pupils and staff being exposed to asbestos in schools.

The Department takes the issue of asbestos in schools seriously, and we are committed to supporting schools, local authorities and academy trusts to fulfil their responsibility to manage asbestos safely. The Health and Safety Executive advise that as long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged, encapsulated and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be managed in situ.

We published updated guidance in March 2017, which provides information on how those responsible for asbestos management in schools - normally local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts - should manage asbestos in order to prevent pupils and staff being exposed to asbestos. This includes new supplementary guidance to help schools understand where asbestos is commonly found, so that they can work with qualified professionals to assess and manage the risks.

We have made it clear that the removal of asbestos should take place when it has been identified that asbestos containing materials are in poor condition in a school building. This is why we have allocated £4.2bn to schools, local authorities and academy trusts since 2015 to maintain and improve the condition of the school estate and they are able to use the funding that is available to them to remove asbestos where that is appropriate.

We intend to enhance our understanding of how effectively asbestos is being managed in schools, by asking all responsible bodies to provide a report on their schools’ compliance with associated legislation and guidance. Through this assurance process, responsible bodies can confirm that they have the necessary processes and procedures in place, in relation to the management of asbestos, to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and visitors to their schools.