RAAC in schools

 Frank Little, local LibDems secretary, writes:

In a week in which it is revealed that there will be no new money for RAAC replacement in England, and hence no extra Barnett consequential for Wales, Liberal Democrats in London have condemned Sunak's priorities.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had promised on Sunday to “spend what it takes” to make classrooms safe after many were forced shut at the start of the new term over concerns about reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). However, HM Treasury later confirmed that the money to make classrooms safe would have to come from the Department for Education's existing budget. So there will have to be cuts elsewhere in education in England and no extra money for Wales.

Today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey accuses Rishi Sunak of putting “tax cuts for big banks over children’s safety"

Analysis by the party shows that Sunak rejected pleas by officials for an extra £900 million a year for school funding in the 2021 Spending Review.

Officials in the Department for Education asked the Treasury for an average of £4 billion a year over five years for new buildings and school repairs. They did so despite this being less than the £5.3 billion they estimated was needed to “mitigate the most serious risks of building failure.”

Then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak turned down their request, allocating just £3.1 billion a year on average.

Rishi Sunak shamefully chose tax cuts for the big banks over children’s safety.

It is staggering that in the very same Budget in which he slashed taxes for the banks, Sunak couldn’t find the cash needed to urgently repair crumbling schools.