§ Mr. BurnettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what improvements have taken place within the system of safety inspections of schools since Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools' statement in December 2001. [94384]
§ Mr. MilibandSchool inspectors are required to consider whether the school monitors health and safety and are expected to report on any hazards that they encounter. They are not, however, health and safety inspectors and do not audit possible health hazards such as the presence of asbestos. The responsibility rests with the head and governing body, and (for community and voluntary controlled schools) the local education authority. While it is impracticable for school inspectors to conduct rigorous health and safety inspections, they are required in every inspection to make a judgment about the extent to which pupils work in a healthy and safe environment.