Committee publication · Special Report · 17 April 2026 · HC 1842

8th Special Report - Foundations of Learning: replacing RAAC and securing school buildings: Government Response

Inquiry: Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and management of school estates

Summary

This is the government's formal response to the Education Committee's February 2026 report on replacing RAAC and securing school buildings. The government welcomes the Committee's findings and outlines its position on each of the seven key recommendations, accepting most fully or partially. It reaffirms commitment to removing RAAC from all schools by 2029, investing nearly £20 billion in school rebuilding through 2034–35, and implementing the Education Estates Strategy published 11 February 2026.

Key findings

Government accepts/partially accepts six of seven committee recommendations; rejects only the proposal for a national digital asbestos register, citing duplicative burden on duty holders and existing HSE work on asbestos strategy.
RAAC removal: government commits to RAAC-free status for all schools and colleges not being substantially rebuilt by 2029; 71 schools/colleges already permanently cleared as of February 2026.
Investment: £20 billion School Rebuilding Programme to 2034–35 covering 750+ schools (519 in programme, 250 more selected by early 2027); £3 billion annual capital maintenance by 2034–35; £700 million Renewal and Retrofit Programme to 2029–30.
Estate management standards: from autumn 2026, responsible bodies must confirm compliance with School Estate Management Standards via new digital service; non-compliance triggers 12-month capability support plans.
Data transparency: Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) to complete later in 2026; pilots for responsible bodies' own data collection begin 2026–27; two-way data sharing by 2028.
SEND inclusion: all School Rebuilding Programme projects assessed for inclusion base needs; £3.7 billion high needs capital funding 2025–26 to 2029–30 to create 60,000 specialist places and improve mainstream accessibility.

Government position

The government accepts the committee's overarching direction and accepts or partially accepts six of seven recommendations. It fully accepts recommendations on estate management capability support (recommendation 51), publishing the estates strategy (50—already implemented), maintaining/publishing condition data (52), and ensuring SEND-inclusive buildings (60). It partially accepts recommendations on structured survey cycles (39—will rely on updated School Estates Management Standards and annual digital returns rather than prescriptive three-to-five-year mandates), system-build research findings (58—will publish summary by summer 2026), and system-built block modernisation (59—will prioritise through existing rebuilding and maintenance programmes without carving out specific construction types). It rejects the national asbestos register recommendation (40), arguing existing legal duties under Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 already require duty holders to identify and manage asbestos, and a central register would duplicate effort without improving exposure risk outcomes; instead, HSE is conducting a census/survey approach.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

school-buildingspublic-financesafeguardingspecial-educational-needsasbestos-management

Key actors

Department for Education (DfE), Education Committee, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), academy trusts, local authorities, responsible bodies (schools and colleges), Helen Hayes (Committee Chair)

Notable line

“By 2029, every school and college in England that is not being substantially rebuilt will be RAAC-free, and every school with RAAC needing to be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) will be in delivery.”

Key Quotes

“High-quality and inspiring school and college buildings are essential to delivering world-class education and creating the conditions for all children and young people to achieve and thrive.”
— Government (Department for Education) · Statement of policy rationale in introduction to government response

“We have committed to permanently removing RAAC from schools and colleges. By 2029, every school and college in England that is not being substantially rebuilt will be RAAC-free, and every school with RAAC needing to be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) will be in delivery.”
— Government (Department for Education) · RAAC removal commitment and timeline

“The most significant factor affecting the condition of school buildings is their maintenance history.”
— Government (Department for Education) · Response to recommendation on structured surveys of higher-risk building types

“We are investing almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034–35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 750 schools.”
— Government (Department for Education) · School rebuilding investment commitment

“The Government has given a long-term commitment backed by long- term funding through to 2034–35 to improve the condition of schools and colleges. The government is investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034–35 in capital maintenance, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025–26.”
— Government (Department for Education) · Capital maintenance funding pledge

“This existing information would be duplicated in a new central digital register of asbestos in non-domestic buildings, which would require significant resource from duty holders and government to implement with no clear indicator that asbestos exposure risks would be improved.”
— Government (Department for Education) · Rationale for rejecting national asbestos register recommendation

“We want buildings to be inclusive by design so that all pupils, especially those with SEND, can learn in high-quality, comfortable and supportive environments.”
— Government (Department for Education) · Response to SEND inclusion in school buildings recommendation

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