Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is a requirement for schools built through the Priority School Buildings programme to be tested for compliance with acoustic regulations before they open.

Building Bulletin 93 (BB93), published by the Department for Education, sets out the minimum performance standards for the acoustics of school buildings and the normal means of demonstrating compliance with the Building Regulations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bb93-acoustic-design-of-schools-performance-standards

The Priority School Building Programme requires the contractors undertaking the design and build of schools to demonstrate compliance with these standards prior to the building being accepted as complete. Compliance is demonstrated through testing.

In parallel, the Building Control function within local authorities also requires evidence that the acoustic regulations have been met prior to them issuing approval for the buildings to become operational.