Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in Education Settings Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in Education Settings

Alberto Costa Excerpts
Monday 4th September 2023

(1 year, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gillian Keegan Portrait Gillian Keegan
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We have done three building and conditions surveys, plus we have had the RAAC surveying and questionnaire programme, so we know a lot more than anybody has ever known, including everybody on the Opposition Benches.

Alberto Costa Portrait Alberto Costa (South Leicestershire) (Con)
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It seems that the risk of RAAC being present in two of my South Leicestershire schools is very low, but as yet it has not been ruled out. Would my right hon. Friend please confirm that she and her team in the Department for Education will work as fast as is reasonably possible to ensure that the schools affected are given the information they need to inform parents?

Gillian Keegan Portrait Gillian Keegan
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I am not sure of the status of those two schools, but if their questionnaires have been provided and they are on the suspected RAAC list, there will be surveyors going in in the next couple of weeks. At that point, if they are identified as having RAAC, we will immediately take action similar to what we did last week with the 104. Parents will be informed immediately if that action has to be taken, but, as I said earlier, two thirds of schools that are suspected do not turn out to have RAAC.