§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the(a) schools and (b) other education facilities which have been identified as containing asbestos; what proportion of (i)schools and (ii) other education facilities have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos; which(A) schools and(B) other education facilities require (1) remedial work and (2) removal of asbestos; what this work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for 2004 and 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. [159656]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Department does not hold information on which schools and other education facilities contain asbestos, nor on the proportion that has been surveyed for asbestos. As part of the data collected through the appraisal of Asset Management Plans, the Department has information on maintenance requirements at maintained schools, but asbestos work is not separately identified. By May this year, in accordance with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002, schools should have identified and recorded the position of any asbestos. We do not provide funding specifically for the survey, treatment or removal of asbestos. Schools and authorities can use the large amounts of formulaic capital which is now allocated to them for investment in their buildings, including health and safety needs such as asbestos treatment. We would expect these needs to be prioritised highly in the local asset management planning process. The total amount of capital available for investment in school buildings in 2004–05 is £4.5 billion and in 2005–06 it rises to £5.1 billion.