Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent (a) assessment she has made of and (b) steps she has taken to help ensure the safety of school buildings in Northumberland.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
It is the responsibility of those running schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to ensure that their schools are safe and well-maintained. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year. Funding is informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform poor condition buildings at over 500 schools across England.
When the department is made aware of a significant issue with a building that cannot be managed locally, the department will provide additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent (a) assessment she has made of and (b) steps she has taken to help ensure the safety of school buildings in Somerset.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
It is the responsibility of those running schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to ensure that their schools are safe and well-maintained. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year. Funding is informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform poor condition buildings at over 500 schools across England.
When the department is made aware of a significant issue with a building that cannot be managed locally, the department will provide additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with representatives of (a) the Roman Catholic Church and (b) Church of England on the safety of (i) block and beam concrete and (ii) high alumina cement constructions in schools managed by the dioceses of those Churches since 25 October 2022.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she last met with representatives of (a) the Association of School and College Leaders, (b) the National Association of Head Teachers, (c) the National Association of Schoolmaster Union, (d) the National Education Union, (e) Unison, (f) GMB and (g) Unite to discuss the safety of school buildings in which they work.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she last met with representatives of the (a) Roman Catholic Church, (b) Church of England, (c) Confederation of School Trusts and (d) Local Government Association to discuss the safety of school buildings that they manage.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had reason to revise her (a) assessment of the safety of High Aluminia Cement (HAC), (b) assessment of the safe operating life of HAC and (c) advice to schools where HAC was used as part of the construction method for any part of the building since 25 October 2022.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
It is the responsibility of those running schools - academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies - to collect and record information about their buildings, as well as to ensure that they are safe, well-maintained and comply with relevant regulations. The department supports schools and colleges on how this should be done in the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance, which is available on GOV.UK.
Departmental officials have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and leading material specialists to ensure they are aware of any emerging evidence regarding the safety of construction materials used in the education estate. The department does not hold a central register of construction types used in the education estate.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of the number of (a) elements of school estates currently in use and (b) open schools containing at least one such element which were constructed using High Aluminia Cement in (i) each local authority area and (ii) England.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
It is the responsibility of those running schools - academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies - to collect and record information about their buildings, as well as to ensure that they are safe, well-maintained and comply with relevant regulations. The department supports schools and colleges on how this should be done in the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance, which is available on GOV.UK.
Departmental officials have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and leading material specialists to ensure they are aware of any emerging evidence regarding the safety of construction materials used in the education estate. The department does not hold a central register of construction types used in the education estate.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether guidance is available to schools on the management of (a) buildings and (b) building elements made from high alumina cement.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
It is the responsibility of those running schools - academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies - to collect and record information about their buildings, as well as to ensure that they are safe, well-maintained and comply with relevant regulations. The department supports schools and colleges on how this should be done in the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance, which is available on GOV.UK.
Departmental officials have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and leading material specialists to ensure they are aware of any emerging evidence regarding the safety of construction materials used in the education estate. The department does not hold a central register of construction types used in the education estate.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the (a) Confederation of School Trusts, (b) Roman Catholic Church, (c) Church of England and (d) Local Government Association on the safety of (i) block and beam concrete and (ii) high alumina cement constructions in schools for which they and their member organisations are responsible since 25 October 2022.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Confederation of School Trusts on the safety of (a) block and beam concrete and (b) high alumina cement constructions since 25 October 2022.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Ministers and officials of the department meet regularly with unions and other stakeholder organisations to discuss a wide range of issues, including the safety of school buildings. There is a regular meeting on school buildings run by departmental officials which includes representatives of the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the National Association of Headteachers, NASUWT, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Local Government Association, the Confederation of School Trusts, the Church of England, and the Catholic Education Service. This group has discussed issues around block and beam concrete and high alumina cement.