Paul Rowen MP: Ensuring safer schools

Liberal Democrat MP Paul Rowen outlines the concerns being raised in his Westminster Hall debate on asbestos in schools.


Let us make no mistakes, asbestos is a deadly substance and exposure to one fibre can cause mesothelioma which is a fatal disease.

However, unlike many other fatal diseases, the number of incidences is rising and those who work and study in schools are at a particular risk.

Asbestos is present in many of the schools which were built between the 1940s and 1985 when the substance was banned. A recent freedom of information survey conducted by the Manchester Evening News showed that 903 out of the 1,043 schools in Greater Manchester contained asbestos.

Nationally it is estimated that at least 75 per cent of all schools across the country have asbestos present in one form or another.

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) statistics show that at least 178 teachers have died of mesothelioma since 1980 whilst the teachers' union ATL has said they know of at least 400 people who have contracted asbestos-related diseases.

The form of asbestos used in UK schools is particularly important; most of it is amosite or crocidolite.

Amosite is estimated to be 100 times more likely to cause mesothelioma than chrysotile, while crocidolite is 500 times more likely.

UK policy from 1985 until the present has been to deny this is a national issue and to put responsibility onto local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive.

In both the USA and the Republic of Ireland, clear policies have been adopted with a clear strategy:

(a) A centrally conducted review of asbestos in schools.

(b) The production of a national plan to remove asbestos.

We need to build on these ideas by implementing the following policies:

(a) Carrying out a national survey – with an initial 100 schools surveyed nationally to get a flavour of the problem followed by a full national survey over five years. Following this, DCSF would provide funding for any schools identified during the survey to carry out remedial work.

(b) Developing a policy of replacing all asbestos-containing materials in schools as part of a national strategy with clear targets for the Building Schools for the Future programme.

(c) Providing proper training to governors and senior teachers regarding their responsibilities.

(d) Removing all asbestos from our schools and developing safe environments in which pupils can succeed.