A bubbly type of concrete that is at risk of collapsing has been discovered in 35 schools in Scotland, according to Education Minister Jenny Gilruth. This comes after more than 100 schools in England were instructed to close all or part of their buildings due to the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a lightweight concrete used between the 1950s and the mid-1990s. During an interview with BBC Scotland’s “Drivetime” radio program, Gilruth confirmed that 35 schools in Scotland have been affected by this issue.
While this number may seem relatively small considering there are around 2,500 schools in Scotland, Gilruth stated that local authorities have reassured her that they are taking action to address the problem. Some local authorities have already closed classrooms as a precautionary measure. At present, the Scottish government does not plan to order the closure of all schools with RAAC-affected buildings. Gilruth highlighted that the Department for Education’s decision to close affected school buildings in England diverged from the guidance provided by the Institute for Structural Engineers (IStructE). She emphasized that Scotland and Wales would continue to follow the IStructE guidance but would consider any additional evidence provided by the Department for Education.
According to the IStructE guidance, the level of risk posed by RAAC can be categorized as low, medium, high, or critical. The guidance specifies that low-risk buildings require occasional inspection, medium-risk buildings require regular inspection, high-risk buildings necessitate remedial action as soon as possible, and critical-risk buildings demand urgent remedial work. Last Friday, UK schools minister Nick Gibb explained that the decision to close all school buildings containing RAAC was taken after a RAAC beam, which showed no signs of critical risk, suddenly collapsed. This precautionary approach aims to prioritize the safety of children and staff in schools.
The Department for Education announced on Thursday that an additional 104 schools had been contacted after 52 of the 156 educational settings with RAAC had already taken protective measures this year. Apart from schools, RAAC roofs in hospitals have also incurred significant costs. Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour chair of the Public Accounts Committee, described these costs as “eye-watering.” She argued that insufficient funds have been allocated to maintaining buildings and equipment in schools and hospitals. Hillier highlighted the enormous expense involved in surveying and addressing RAAC-related issues, with each new problem requiring a fresh survey.
Dame Hillier also raised questions about why action was not taken earlier, considering that a standing committee on structural safety recommended inspections of all buildings with pre-1980 RAAC plank roofs as far back as 1999. In her article for The Times of London, she expressed concerns about the failing state of the school estate and the need for proactive measures to address these issues. Chris Summers contributed to this report.