Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

School Building Closures

19 September 2023 · 18 other contributors

Opened by Gillian Keegan Con Constituency

Education

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Gillian Keegan raised concerns about school building closures in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Government is supporting schools affected by RAAC to minimise disruption
  • A list of 174 education settings with confirmed RAAC has been published
  • Each affected setting is assigned a dedicated caseworker for tailored support

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Gillian Keegan

The Government is supporting schools affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) to minimise disruption. A list of 147 education settings with confirmed RAAC was published on September 6th, and an additional update with 27 more settings has been released today. Of the 174 total cases, 148 are providing full-time face-to-face education. Each affected setting is assigned a dedicated caseworker for tailored support and project delivery teams to assist in structural solutions or finding alternative accommodation options. The Government will fund these mitigations and long-term refurbishment or rebuilding projects through capital grants or the school rebuilding programme, ensuring safety for pupils, parents, and staff.

Other contributors (18)
  • Bridget Phillipson Lab Houghton and Sunderland South

    Question

    Phillipson questions the delay in action after receiving advice on August 21st, criticises the Secretary of State’s decision to go on holiday, and demands accountability for past failures and current chaos.

    Minister reply

    Keegan explains that she took a difficult decision based on new information received and acted as soon as possible. She highlights operationalising decisions by standing up caseworkers, providing temporary classrooms, and ensuring structural engineering solutions are in place to minimise disruption.

  • Robin Walker

    Question

    Walker expresses disappointment with the previous non-answer on temporary classroom provision and urges for swift action to ensure certainty about when these will be in place. He highlights the need to minimise educational disruption.

    Minister reply

    Keegan apologises for the delay, confirms 11 schools already have installed or in-use temporary buildings, and states that inquiries are being made for potential orders. She emphasises the quality of portacabins used as temporary classrooms.

  • Meg Hillier Lab Co-op Hackney South and Shoreditch

    Question

    Clarify whether it is 18 or 28 schools that still need temporary classrooms, due to the difference in figures. Also inquire about the costs of setting up specialist requirements such as science labs.

    Minister reply

    Confirm that inquiries were made for a further 28 sites and address the costs associated with special equipment needs.

  • Ian Liddell-Grainger

    Question

    Request clarification from the Dispatch Box regarding Haygrove School's construction issues, ensuring parents and children are reassured that there is no concrete problem in the school.

    Minister reply

    Confirm that Haygrove School is not subject to RAAC, it is a Caledonian Modular build, and solutions are being looked at for similar circumstances.

  • Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham

    Question

    Critique the current Chancellor's decision not to provide additional money for school rebuilds, highlighting the ongoing issues with asbestos, leaky roofs and cold classrooms.

    Minister reply

    Emphasise that record funding of £60 billion a year next year has been secured, addressing previous failures in Building Schools for the Future programme.

  • Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire

    Question

    Ask for reassurances on the number of schools still awaiting expedited surveys and confirmation of the absolute cut-off point by which those surveys will be completed.

    Minister reply

    Confirm that 98.6% of questionnaires have been responded to, and all pending surveys will be completed by the end of this week.

  • Richard Burgon Lab Leeds East

    Question

    Request a guarantee that the cost of repairs for RAAC issues will be funded by new money from the Government rather than the current education budget.

    Minister reply

    Explain funding allocations for surveying, mitigations, and temporary accommodation work.

  • Mark Logan

    Question

    Praise Canon Slade School’s efforts to ensure smooth running since RAAC announcement and ask how the Department can encourage surveyors to avoid delays in installing temporary classrooms.

    Minister reply

    Join praise for Canon Slade School, highlight dedication of school leaders, and address issues with asbestos.

  • Sarah Jones Lab Croydon West

    Question

    Inquire about the number of publicity videos made by the Secretary of State on the day RAAC issue was discovered.

    Minister reply

    Clarify that no particularly party political broadcasts were made, only standard announcements were done.

  • Barry Gardiner Lab Brent West

    Question

    Inquire about technical evidence required after the NAO report identified critical safety issues in up to 700,000 children's schools.

    Minister reply

    Provide context on surveys conducted from September 2022 and changes made due to non-critical ceiling failures.

  • Mike Amesbury

    Question

    Request a national register of buildings containing RAAC, as proposed by London fire chiefs.

    Minister reply

    Suggest that fire chiefs usually work with local responsible bodies for minimising fire risks within local areas.

  • Mary Foy Lab City of Durham

    Question

    Seek confirmation on accelerated rebuild plans, venue and finance details, additional provisions for vulnerable pupils, and exam board considerations for affected students.

    Minister reply

    Confirm ongoing work with project directors at St Leonard’s to ensure short-term mitigations and rebuilding plans are in place.

  • Clive Efford Lab Eltham and Chislehurst

    Question

    Asked the Secretary of State to confirm whether all costs related to RAAC will be covered, including surveyors' fees. Criticised her for being on holiday during this crisis.

    Minister reply

    Confirmed that reasonable costs would be covered; also mentioned that pupils at St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive School are in face-to-face education.

  • Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough

    Question

    Asked for specific action regarding Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, which faces significant RAAC-related challenges. The headteacher requested immediate mitigations.

    Minister reply

    Agreed to note the case and offered to discuss it further either through an MP's surgery or via a letter.

  • Andrew Slaughter Lab Hammersmith and Chiswick

    Question

    Asked about the funding source for rebuilding RAAC schools, suggesting that other hospital rebuilding schemes might be delayed to fund it.

    Minister reply

    Stated there would not be a delay in other projects.

  • Richard Foord Lib Dem Honiton and Sidmouth

    Question

    Inquired about the impact on future school rebuilding programmes due to new RAAC-related works, referencing Colyton Grammar School.

    Minister reply

    Clarified that propping up would be done professionally with horizontal props rather than vertical poles; stressed no negative impacts on existing building projects.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Question

    Expressed gratitude for the Secretary of State's commitment, inquired about discussions with Northern Ireland Department regarding RAAC and potential funding.

    Minister reply

    Confirmed that information sharing has been ongoing with devolved nations; emphasised continuous support and evidence sharing on mitigation methods.

Shadow Comment

Bridget Phillipson

The shadow Secretary of State criticises the Government's handling of RAAC concerns. She highlights a delay in action after receiving new advice on August 21st, and questions the Secretary of State’s decision to go on holiday instead of acting immediately. Phillipson emphasises the need for responsibility and accountability from the Secretary of State regarding past failures and current chaos.

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