Expert explains why Raac is more dangerous than standard concrete<\/p>\n
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines email<\/p>\n
As the UK government becomes further embroiled in a crisis over the use of crumble-prone concrete in schools, Labour has revived its controversial attack adverts to take aim at Rishi Sunak.<\/p>\n
Over 100 schools were told to partially or fully shut buildings over fears that dangerous concrete could collapse, plunging the beginning of the academic year into chaos.<\/p>\n
The attack advert, posted on social media on Sunday, is a re-working of a controversial graphic pushed out to voters by the party from earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
The latest version points to cuts to schools rebuilding whilst Mr Sunak was chancellor, asking: \u201cDo you think your child\u2019s school should be safe?\u201d Before answering: \u201cRishi Sunak doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
The news comes as shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson alleged that the crisis symbolises 13 years of Conservative failure in government.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can think of a no more defining image about the last 13 years of Conservative government than children being sat in classrooms under metal props to prevent the ceilings literally falling in on their heads,\u201d she told the BBC on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
1693757960Labour revives attack ads claiming concrete scandal shows Rishi Sunak does not want schools to be safeLabour has revived its controversial attack ads \u2013 this time using the concrete scandal to claim Rishi Sunak does not think schools should be safe.<\/p>\n
It comes as over 100 schools were told to partially or fully shut buildings over fears that dangerous concrete could collapse, plunging the start of the new academic year into chaos.<\/p>\n
The attack advert, posted on social media on Sunday, is a re-working of a controversial graphic pushed out to voters by the party from earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
Jon Stone has more:<\/p>\n
Eleanor Noyce3 September 2023 17:19<\/p>\n
1693757717No immediate risk to safety where Raac is found in Scotland, minister saysPublic buildings in Scotland containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) pose an \u201cimmediate risk to safety\u201d to school pupils and hospital patients, a Scottish government minister has said.<\/p>\n
Wellbeing economy secretary Neil Gray said investigations are under way to assess the scale of buildings in Scotland containing the collapse-risk concrete.<\/p>\n
The Scottish Government has said the lightweight concrete is present in 35 schools in Scotland, with local authorities checking which other buildings it was used on, including hospitals and social housing.<\/p>\n
Speaking on BBC Scotland\u2019s The Sunday Show programme, Mr Gray said: \u201cAt the moment, there is no immediate risk to people using these buildings and that is why we continue to support our local authority partners, NHS boards and others, that have Raac in their buildings to ensure that remains the case, and if there are issues to be resolved, that mitigations are taken to ensure people\u2019s safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
The issue came to the fore after the UK government confirmed 104 schools in England will close due to the presence of the material, which was linked to the collapse of a primary school roof in Kent in 2018.<\/p>\n
The concrete was used from the 1950s until the mid-1990s, with the Institute of Structural Engineers saying it will only need to be replaced if it is considered to be of poor condition and at high-risk of collapse.<\/p>\n
Mr Gray said: \u201cThere is no reason to believe that the safety concern has changed in the previous weeks. Obviously there are checks ongoing, including intrusive checks, because obviously some of this material is going to be deep into the structure of buildings. Some of that takes time to carry out.\u201d<\/p>\n
First Minister Humza Yousaf said on Saturday that Scottish ministers have no plans to close affected schools \u201cat this stage\u201d.<\/p>\n
Local authorities will be expected to prioritise remedial work where the concrete is found in public buildings, including room or building closures and the use of temporary modular provision for school pupils.<\/p>\n
Eleanor Noyce3 September 2023 17:15<\/p>\n
1693755872Hunt: We will \u2018spend what it takes\u2019 to make schools safe from crumbling concreteJeremy Hunt has said the government will \u201cspend what it takes\u201d to make schools safe after classrooms were forced to close just before the new term amid concerns about crumbling concrete.<\/p>\n
The chancellor moved to reassure parents that an \u201cexhaustive process\u201d has been carried out to identify any unsafe buildings, amid accusations ministers failed to act quickly enough to mitigate risks raised in 2018.<\/p>\n
But he admitted that along with the potential danger of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), there are concerns about the possibility of a \u201cwider\u201d problem with asbestos in schools.<\/p>\n
He said education secretary Gillian Keegan had \u201cacted immediately\u201d after new information came to light over the summer about the potential risk Raac, a lightweight material used up to the mid-1990s.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the BBC\u2019s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, Mr Hunt would not speculate on the potential cost of fixing the problem, but said: \u201cWe will spend what it takes to make sure children can go to school safely, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eleanor Noyce3 September 2023 16:44<\/p>\n
1693754137Updated: Which schools are affected by RAAC?Below is a running list of the schools in England currently on the \u201ccrumbling building\u201d:<\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 16:15<\/p>\n
1693752915ICYMI: Jeremy Hunt insists ministers acted fast on crumbling schools crisis despite warnings years agoThe chancellor has insisted ministers acted on crumbling schools at risk of collapse as they were told of dangers, despite evidence the government was warned years ago.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Hunt on Sunday denied that the government\u2019s austerity programme was to blame for the state of the buildings, while Labour accused the Tories of \u201cnegligence\u201d.<\/p>\n
Jon Stone has the full report: <\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 15:55<\/p>\n
1693751980ICYMI: What RAAC concrete? How to tell if school buildings are at risk of collapseBut what is aerated concrete, and why is it such a risk? Alexander Butler reports: <\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 15:39<\/p>\n
1693749777Education secretary \u2018in hiding\u2019 on schools concrete scandalThe education secretary has been accused of going into \u201chiding\u201d during the school concrete scandal.<\/p>\n
Gillian Keegan appeared in a pre-recorded interview on Thursday but has not done an interview since.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, appeared on the Sunday morning political programmes to field questions for the government.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Sky News deputy politics editor Sam Coates, an unnamed Tory MP described her response as \u201catrocious\u201d, adding: \u201c[She] went into hiding it seems as she either wasn\u2019t across detail on Thursday or didn\u2019t know schools would have to close.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis investigation on school structures has been going on for a while, I am gobsmacked the advice so quickly and brutally performed a handbrake turn. So Keegan needs to be transparent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 15:02<\/p>\n
1693748851Education secretary to make Commons statement on schools this weekEducation secretary Gillian Keegan will make a statement on the school concrete scandal in parliament this week.<\/p>\n
Treasury minister told Times Radio earlier that a full list of the schools affected would be published but it was still a \u201cmoving target\u201d.<\/p>\n
More than 100 schools have been forced to close or partially shut although the number is expected to rise as experts carry out more checks. <\/p>\n
Gillian Keegan <\/p>\n
(Sky News)<\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 14:47<\/p>\n
1693746937Labour publishes new attack ad blaming Sunak for concrete scandalLabour has put out a new attack ad aimed at pinning the blame for the school concrete scandal on Rishi Sunak.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think your child\u2019s schools should be safe? Rishi Sunak doesn\u2019t,\u201d the online ad says.<\/p>\n
It has been produced in the same style as a separate attack ad published earlier this year that caused outrage by claiming the prime minister did not want sex offenders sent to jail.<\/p>\n
(Labour Party)<\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 14:15<\/p>\n
1693745195Crumbling schools indicative of 13 years of Tory \u2018failure’Crumbling school buildings symbolise 13 years of Tory failure in government, Labour has claimed.<\/p>\n
Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, also sought to pin the blame for the RAAC scandal on Rishi Sunak.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can think of a no more defining image about the last 13 years of Conservative government than children being sat in classrooms under metal props to prevent the ceilings literally falling in on their heads,\u201d she told the BBC on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cRishi Sunak himself as well bears responsibility for this,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Bridget Phillipson said she believes \u2018lecturing people\u2019 without offering support would not help improve attendance (BBC\/PA)<\/p>\n
(PA Media)<\/p>\n
Matt Mathers3 September 2023 13:46<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Expert explains why Raac is more dangerous than standard concrete Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines email As the UK government becomes further embroiled in a crisis over the use of crumble-prone concrete in schools, Labour has revived its controversial attack […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n