Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department takes to monitor the (a) safety and (b) repair standards of (i) school and (ii) further education buildings; and whether this information is published.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools and colleges - academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies - to manage the safety and maintenance of their buildings and they should alert the Department if there is a serious concern with a building. Those carrying out works must comply with Building Regulations, Construction Design and Management (CDM) regulations and any relevant Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.

The Department does not monitor school or further education repairs. However, this Government has gone further than any previous administration and now carries out a visual, condition based survey of all Government funded schools in England. This means schools and their Responsible Bodies then receive condition reports following the survey and are able to better manage their estates.

The Department sets building standards for all centrally delivered new school buildings and major refurbishment projects. These documents are published on GOV.UK. The standards for schools can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-requirements-part-b-generic-design-brief. The standards for further education can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-requirements-part-b-generic-design-brief https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-requirements-for-college-projects-part-a-and-part-b.