Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) nurseries, (b) primary schools, (c) secondary schools and (d) 16-18 colleges identified as containing asbestos and listed on the Schools Rebuilding Programme (i) were scheduled to be and (ii) were (A) complete and (B) in progress by 1 March 2025.

The government has committed £1.4 billion to continue the current School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in 2025/26, reconfirming our commitment to rebuild or refurbish 518 schools and sixth-form colleges across England, prioritising delivery based on need.

Asbestos management in schools and other buildings is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Responsible bodies are duty holders for asbestos management within school buildings and must follow requirements and standards set by the HSE. The department expects all local authorities, governing bodies, academy trusts and colleges to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively and in line with their legal duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice. The department follows the advice of the HSE that, provided asbestos-containing materials are in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed, it is generally safest to manage them in place, otherwise they should be removed.

Just under half of schools in the SRP have started various stages of project delivery. Of those that have not yet commenced, the department plans to increase the number of school rebuilding projects starting delivery activity in the next financial year to 100.