With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the steps my department is taking to support education settings to respond to the risk of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, more commonly known as RAAC.
Before I go into specifics, I want to be clear that absolutely nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that poses an immediate risk, we have taken immediate action.
Parents and children have been looking forward to starting the new term and I understand the timing of this change in guidance to schools and colleges will have caused concern and disruption.
However, faced with recent cases. including one that emerged right at the end of the school holidays, I believe 100% that this is the right thing to do and that is why we have taken such rapid steps to support our schools and colleges. There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and the vast majority of them are unaffected by RAAC.
