Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to reduce levels of asbestos in school buildings.

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the employer, either the local authority or the school, has clear responsibilities to manage asbestos containing materials in schools safely. We expect schools to have an asbestos management plan in place and to manage it actively in line with legal requirements.

The Department for Education takes the issue of asbestos management in schools very seriously. Our policy, as in other aspects of school management, is to give schools the support that they need to fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

The Department has set up the Asbestos in Schools Steering Group to raise awareness and promote the effective management of asbestos in schools. We have also published guidance, which is available online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/asbestos-management-in-schools

We are currently reviewing our asbestos policy and expect to publish the outcomes in the autumn.