Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that an outbreak of legionella in a school is followed by an assessment of the adequacy of the steps taken (a) before and (b) after the outbreak.

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

Guidance on legionella, and the relevant duties of an employer, or a person in control of a premises, 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 relevant duties of an employer, or a person in control of a premises, are further outlined on Health and Safety Executive’s website, and can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/what-you-must-do.htm.

There is no requirement for the department to be informed of each individual case of legionella discovery in schools, or of any subsequent action.