Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2023 to Question 22 on Schools: Asbestos, what information her Department holds on levels of asbestos in Harrow schools.

Buildings erected from 2000 have not used asbestos in their construction. Most older buildings will still have asbestos present in them, although some have undertaken asbestos removal programmes.

Asbestos ‘dutyholders’ for schools, who usually include local authorities and academy trusts, must comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. These require dutyholders to have a robust asbestos management plan, train staff, and maintain an asbestos register detailing location, type, and condition of asbestos in their buildings.

The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their legal duties.

The asbestos management assurance process (AMAP) was a survey launched by the department in March 2018 to understand the steps schools and those responsible for their estate were taking to manage asbestos.

Data published in 2019 reflecting returns from 88.4% of schools showed that 80% of schools had some asbestos present in their estate. The department can confirm that from responses captured, the position in Harrow schools suggests a slightly lower percentage than the national picture, though we continue to gather data in this area through the Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme. The 2019 AMAP report is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f28153ed3bf7f1b17facda7/AMAP_Report_2019.pdf.

The department expects current percentages to reduce over time as schools are rebuilt or refurbished, and asbestos is removed. Information on how schools are managing asbestos is now being collected via the department’s CDC2 programme, which started in 2021 and will complete in 2026, and is expected to cover all state-funded schools.

The department follows the Health and Safety Executive’s advice that, provided asbestos-containing materials are in good condition, and unlikely to be disturbed, it is generally safest to manage them in place. Where asbestos-containing materials are likely to be disturbed by maintenance works or daily use of the building, and cannot be easily protected, schools should have them removed.