CYP Now - MPs to probe ministers over dangerous concrete in schools

MPs are set to question ministers over the disruption caused by dangerous concrete in school buildings, following the Department for Education’s publication of a list of all affected institutions.

Robin Walker said the committee shared a 'feeling of urgency' about the RAAC crisis. Picture: UK parliament

The education select committee will hear from DfE Permanent Secretary Susan Acland-Hood and Baroness Barran, minister for school capital investment, in an evidence session on Tuesday 19 September.

The probe comes after more than 104 schools were advised to fully or partially close just days before the start of the autumn term due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concreted (RAAC) in school buildings – a material used regularly until the 1990s, that is now assessed to be at risk of collapse.

A list published yesterday (6 September) by the DfE confirmed that RAAC has been found in 169 schools and colleges, with 19 forced to delay the start of term due to the risks posed. Many have also switched to a blend of remote and in-person learning, with four settings resorting to fully remote learning.

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