Safety of School Buildings

Siddiq highlighted the dire need for repairs at West Hampstead Primary School, noting that while some funding exists from Camden Council, it falls short of addressing all issues. She questioned whether children can reach their full potential in such conditions.

West emphasised the financial inefficiency of continuous patchwork repairs at Highgate Wood School, suggesting that a new build would be more cost-effective and address underlying issues better.

Bailey questioned the prioritization between funding standard repairs and purchasing school books for a Tipton school under a PFI contract, illustrating the financial constraints faced by schools in maintaining facilities versus educational needs.

Hussain argued that Government Members' reluctance to release data stems from knowing that over a decade of austerity measures has resulted in significant cuts to the capital budget, exacerbating school disrepair issues.

Sobel discussed the closure of the Headingley Children's Centre due to roof disrepair, highlighting how such closures negatively impact essential services for vulnerable children, urging the Government to provide capital funding.

Johnson inquired if the hon. Lady welcomed recent figures showing that UK young children are the best readers in the western world according to international assessments, aiming to highlight positive educational outcomes.

Dowd emphasised the significant investment under the last Labour Government in new schools and facilities within Bootle, contrasting it with the current lack of investment and pointing out that Labour delivers tangible improvements.

Vaz criticised the continuous need for schools to reapply for necessary funds like central heating, using Joseph Leckie Academy as an example of how the current system fails to provide consistent support.

The Minister highlighted the improvement in education standards under the current Government compared to the previous Labour government. He noted that Britain has risen from being one of the bottom performers to fourth place in international surveys, attributing this to challenging prevailing educational orthodoxy and the hard work of teachers.

In his intervention, Jonathan Gullis praised Nick Gibb for leading with evidence on phonics education despite Labour opposition, acknowledging the Minister's role in improving reading abilities among nine-year-olds.

Gareth Thomas questioned the Government about the number of school buildings posing risks to children's lives and safety across constituencies, pressing for transparency regarding the condition of schools.

Hussain expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in releasing data about the condition of school buildings. He asked whether the Minister could confirm that schools benefiting from funding are unsafe for pupils, seeking clarity on the safety status.

Catherine West inquired about asbestos removal prioritization. She highlighted her long-standing issue with Fortismere School's asbestos problem and questioned when it would be resolved, pressing the Minister for a timeline.

Foord raised concerns about the pace of school rebuilding in his region, particularly highlighting issues with Tipton St John Church of England Primary School. He questioned whether the west country was receiving adequate funding compared to other regions.

Gwynne criticised the reliability of the Department for Education's survey, suggesting that schools like Russell Scott Primary School might have been incorrectly assessed as safe despite being structurally unsound. He urged a re-evaluation to ensure no school falls through the safety net.

Wilson pressed for transparency regarding schools that were closed due to safety concerns post-election, asking the Minister to commit to publishing data on affected schools before recess.

Johnson welcomed funding announcements for her constituency's schools but expressed interest in resolving technical issues at Sir William Robertson Academy. She requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss these matters.

Twist acknowledged anticipation among schools on the rebuilding programme but noted that working conditions are challenging for staff in these schools until rebuilding begins. She highlighted the need for support during this interim period.

Vaz expressed concerns about the accuracy of assessments made by the Department, referencing issues at Blue Coat Church of England Academy in her constituency where errors led to a school's rejection from the rebuilding programme.

Lightwood discusses the dire state of school buildings, citing specific examples from his constituency. He criticises the Government's approach as insufficient, noting that funding is a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the problem. He questions why parents and teachers are not informed about schools at risk of collapse.

Johnston defends the government’s efforts, highlighting significant investment in school improvement programmes and the overall funding for education. He criticises Labour's limited educational policies and their frequent motions on education without concrete proposals. He also points out inconsistencies between Labour's rhetoric and actions, such as their lack of a comprehensive audit of schools' conditions since 2017 when they were in charge in Wales.

Welcomed the announcement of funding for two schools in his constituency, highlighting the importance of tangible improvements. Criticised Labour's legacy on PFI and educational outcomes, arguing that it led to low ambition and poor results. Questioned Labour's stance on abolishing bidding processes and how they would fund capital investment without them.

Discussed a serious incident where a constituent was injured due to unsafe school conditions, urging for immediate action to ensure safety. Highlighted the impact of Conservative cuts on school funding and infrastructure, calling for transparency in publishing surveys about dangerous schools and ending austerity measures affecting education quality.

Describes the improvements in educational facilities under the current government, highlighting successful funding bids for school projects in his constituency. He thanks the Department for Education for grants provided to schools in Old Bexley and Sidcup and invites the Minister to visit completed and upcoming construction projects. French criticises Labour's previous performance, noting that parents moved out of Labour-run areas to Conservative-run ones due to better schooling options.

Critiques the government for not disclosing dangerous school buildings despite knowing about them. She expresses concern over crumbling buildings neglected by the Conservatives, which pose a risk to children's learning and safety. Smith shares examples of schools in her constituency facing challenges like poor toilet facilities and inadequate funding for repairs, emphasising that such conditions undermine educational quality.

Supports the Labour motion regarding school buildings, highlighting issues of safety and adequacy. She criticises low capital spending by the Department for Education and points out that despite a new rebuilding programme, progress is slow compared to need. Hopkins discusses specific cases in Luton where many schools face construction condition issues, urging for public disclosure of data and urgent action.

Stressed that crumbling schools are commonplace across England, with hundreds now unsafe. Noted a decline of almost 37% in cash terms and half in real terms in capital spending on school buildings between 2009-10 and 2021-22. Highlighted the urgent action required by major trade unions organising in schools due to two minor collapses already reported.

Acknowledged the hard work of school staff in his constituency, emphasised that many children are taught in classrooms not fit for modern times. Criticised the Government's refusal to publish data on school conditions, focusing particularly on asbestos which is still present in 87% of schools and causing mesothelioma deaths among teachers.

Cited the condition data collection survey results showing over 7,000 schools contained life-expired or at serious risk of imminent failure components. Highlighted a £11.4 billion maintenance backlog and called for transparency on school conditions, noting that communities are feeling neglected with crumbling buildings.

Russell Scott Primary School in Tameside has significant structural damage following a Carillion-led refurbishment. The school was included in the Government's rebuilding programme but progress is slow, with no clear start date provided despite urgent needs highlighted by independent reports.

Seaham Trinity Primary School in Easington faces significant structural issues including dampness and a deteriorating roof. The school is relatively new, raising concerns about construction quality. The speaker calls for accountability from contractors such as Surgo Construction, urging the Department for Education to introduce legislation ensuring companies fulfill their responsibilities.

School buildings across England are deteriorating rapidly with a repair bill of over £11 billion. Parents and staff are often unaware of risks in school buildings, raising concerns about transparency and the urgency to address crumbling infrastructure. The speaker demands the publication of data on the condition of school buildings.

Describes how over a decade of Conservative government, capital spending for Department for Education has fallen by about 50% in real terms. Emphasises the critical condition of school buildings and their potential to collapse. He calls on the Government to disclose data on dangerous buildings and urges them not to bury their head in the sand.

Responded on behalf of the Government, thanked teachers and support staff for their work. Acknowledged contributions from other Members and provided specific funding details for various constituencies. Emphasised improvements in school conditions through significant investment since 2015.

Asked a point of order regarding noise from the No Lobby during the debate, questioning if it was appropriate under parliamentary rules.

Responded to Andrew Gwynne's point of order, suggesting that he did not hear any noise from the No Lobby.