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<p>Responsibility for ensuring the safety and condition of school buildings lies with the responsible bodies, such as Local Authorities, trusts and voluntary aided bodies.</p><p>The Department does not routinely collect or hold complete data on the information requested, as responsible bodies are not obliged to report building-related school closures.</p><p>As the Department is not responsible for the management of the estate or the direct employer of staff, the Department does not routinely hold information on any injuries sustained in school buildings or compensation paid.</p><p>The Department provides support to schools and responsible bodies and has allocated over £13 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion committed during the 2022/23 financial year, informed by consistent data on the school estate. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform 500 schools over the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition or with potential safety issues.</p><p>Where the Department is notified of a significant safety issue with a school building, that cannot be managed within local resources, the Department provides support on a case-by-case basis. The Department provides immediate advisory support in all cases which involves signposting to relevant capital programmes for financial support pending eligibility.</p><p> </p><p> </p> |