Lib Dems demand school inspections amid concerns over ‘aero-like concrete’
The Scottish Government is being challenged to launch an immediate inspection programme of all schools after dozens were revealed to contain a type of concrete linked to the collapse of a school roof in southern England.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said ministers needed to “leap into action” after the substance was found to be present in at least 37 schools in Scotland.
It comes after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was linked to the collapse of a roof at a Kent primary school.
Part of the flat roof above the staff room at Singlewell Primary School in Gravesend came down in 2018, damaging parts of the building, computers and furniture.
But as it happened outside of school hours, no-one was injured.
Now information obtained under Freedom of Information by the Scottish Liberal Democrats found RAAC – a light and bubbly form of precast concrete, frequently used in public sector buildings in the UK from the mid-1950s to the mid-1990s – is present in nine schools in Dumfries and Galloway, seven in Aberdeen, six in Clackmannanshire and five in West Lothian.
Two schools in Dundee, Highland and North Lanarkshire were also found to contain the material, along with one school in Aberdeenshire, one in Argyll and Bute, one in East Lothian and one in Perth and Kinross.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Concerns about the use of this concrete have been in the public domain for years, yet many schools still don’t know if this is what is holding their roofs up.”
He added that with the Department for Education in England having issued warnings over the use of RAAC “Scottish parents will want to know that their children will be safe when they go to school on Monday”.
“The Scottish Government need to act to make sure every school is inspected and if this concrete is determined to be unsafe, action is taken swiftly to ensure that it is removed.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The limitations of this historic building material are well recognised and it has largely fallen out of use since the 1980s.
“The UK Government is carrying out research into buildings which contain RAAC. The research is in the final stages of developing assessment tools to measure the risks associated with RAAC planks.
“We will monitor the research and apply the findings and recommendations appropriately.”
The spokesperson added: “Local authorities are responsible for managing and maintaining schools and we expect them to provide a safe environment for all users.
“This week we issued guidance and background on RAAC to the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) and Scottish Heads of Property Services (SHoPS) networks.
“Health and safety legislation is not devolved to the Scottish Government. The Health & Safety Executive is the UK-wide regulator for health and safety.”