Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to monitor the standards of asbestos management in schools (a) under and (b) outside of local authority control.

The Health and Safety Executive continues to be a member of the Asbestos in Schools Steering Group which aim to promote the effective management of asbestos in both local authority and non-local authority controlled schools. The steering group has representatives from the joint Union Asbestos Committee, education trade unions, local authorities and independent schools.

In June 2014, HSE published the results of its latest inspection survey into the management of asbestos in schools covering those outside local authority control. This survey showed improved levels of awareness and a decrease in the level of enforcement action required in comparison with a survey of the same sector in 2010/11. HSE also completed a similar inspection exercise in 2010 on local authority controlled schools.