Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the proportion of school buildings that contain asbestos; and if he will make a statement.

The Department takes the safety of pupils, staff and visitors to schools very seriously.

In 2016, the Department ran a voluntary survey to understand the proportion of school buildings that contain asbestos. 25% of schools responded and the findings showed that 83.1% had asbestos present.

In March 2018, the Department launched the Asbestos Management Assurance Process to develop a more comprehensive understanding of asbestos management in the school estate to strengthen our published guidance and support. 88.4% of schools responded to the latest survey and the Department intends to publish the report on the findings before summer recess.