Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2021 to Question 86209 on Schools: Ventilation, what estimate his Department has made of the total number of air cleaning units needed for poorly ventilated teaching spaces and staff rooms in all state educational settings in England.

​If used properly, air cleaning units can help reduce airborne contaminants in a poorly ventilated space while remedial work is undertaken to permanently improve ventilation. However, it is important to note that air cleaning units cannot improve ventilation, and they should never be used as a reason to reduce ventilation or not to remediate poor ventilation in a space.

The department is providing additional, exceptional funding for air cleaning units for poorly ventilated spaces in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision schools and colleges, including SEND units in mainstream schools and colleges, where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible. These settings are being prioritised, given the higher than average number of vulnerable pupils attending them. The purchase of 1,000 air cleaning units reflects our assessment of need in the sector based on recent feedback from SEND and alternative provider schools and colleges.

Schools and colleges that are not eligible for a department-funded unit will have access to an online ‘marketplace’, which provides a route to purchasing air cleaning units of a suitable specification and competitive price. However, we expect that in most classrooms existing ventilation will be sufficient.

Maintaining adequate ventilation ultimately remains the responsibility of individual schools and colleges. It is for them to decide on the use of affected rooms in accordance with their risk assessment procedures and obligations under health and safety law.

Schools and colleges are expected to plan and prioritise any necessary remedial works within existing budgets. For more substantial capital works, schools, colleges and those responsible for buildings have access to funding to improve the condition of buildings through different routes depending on their size and type.

The case for additional support for schools and colleges to maintain good ventilation will be kept under review as the programme continues, and as settings use the monitors to further assess their ventilation needs.