Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to schools on reporting the (a) presence and (b) suspected presence of legionella bacteria.

The department takes the health and wellbeing of both pupils and staff very seriously. All schools need to be safe, well-maintained, and compliant with all relevant regulations. This is the responsibility of those running schools, which includes local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary aided school bodies.

The department provides guidance on legionella and the relevant duties of an employer, or a person in control of a premises, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/health-and-safety.The department works closely with other government departments to ensure that all guidance reflects the latest best practice.

The department is not informed of each individual case of legionella discovery in schools, or of any subsequent action.