Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the number and proportion of classrooms in England that have no mechanical ventilation.
The department does not hold data on the number and proportions of classrooms in England that have no mechanical ventilation.
Maintaining adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual providers. The law says employers, including education and childcare providers, must make sure there is an adequate supply of fresh air in enclosed areas of the workplace. This has not changed during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Health and Safety Executive provides more information on this here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation/index.htm. Providers are expected to plan and prioritise any necessary remedial works within existing budgets. For more substantial capital works, education providers and those responsible for buildings have access to funding to improve the condition of buildings through different routes depending on their size and type.
Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have emphasised the importance of ventilation and provided guidance to providers on ventilation requirements. We have always said that where a provider is in operation it is important to ensure that it is well ventilated and that a comfortable teaching environment is maintained.