Schools and hospitals ‘not over hurdle' of unsafe concrete, says minister
Schools and the NHS are 'not over that hurdle' of unsafe concrete, a minister has said.
Catherine McKinnell also said ministers cannot 'fix everything overnight' when asked how much of the maintenance backlog could be eliminated or when schools would be free of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).
The Government has announced that around £1.2 billion – part of funding packages announced in last year's autumn budget – will be spent on repairing crumbling schools and hospitals across the country.
Asked about Raac, school standards minister Ms McKinnell told LBC: 'We're not over that hurdle yet, and we're not over it in the NHS either.'
She added that 'we have identified all the Raac' and there are plans for buildings to be fixed or rebuilt, because 'the fact that they have Raac in them means that they're probably a substantial age as a building'.
More than 100 schools, nurseries and colleges across England were forced to shut down days before the autumn term in 2023 amid concerns that classrooms and other buildings containing Raac were unsafe.
Asked on BBC Breakfast on Friday whether she could provide a figure for how much of the £14 billion maintenance backlog would be completed or when schools would be rid of Raac, Ms McKinnell said: 'We are working very hard, but you can't just switch a switch and fix everything overnight.'
According to the Government, pupils at 656 schools and sixth forms will benefit from a share of this year's £470 million Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), used for projects such as fixing crumbling roofs and removing asbestos.
More than 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will be handed £750 million to tackle problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues.
Projects to deliver improvements to schools and hospital buildings will be delivered during the 2025/26 financial year, with the first upgrades to begin this summer, the Government has said.
A report by the National Audit Office in January estimated it would cost around £13.8 billion to address the repairs and remedial work backlog for hospitals and other NHS properties in England, and an additional £13.8 billion for the school estate.
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