Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential health risks to (a) pupils and (b) staff of the use of lead pipes in schools.

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 the schools, which includes Local Authorities, academy trusts and voluntary aided school bodies. Where responsible bodies discover lead piping, they must take action, working, as appropriate, with water companies directly.

The Department does not collect data on whether schools have lead pipes.

All schools must ensure their water supply meets the requirements of either the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 or the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 for maintained schools and academies respectively.

These Regulations set strict requirements that schools must provide 'suitable drinking water facilities' and that they are clearly labelled and readily accessible at all times when schools are in use. The Water Supply Regulations 2016 require water to be wholesome at the point of consumption and the School Premises Regulations reinforces this requirement.