Planning guidance on assessing potential impacts of large-scale solar projects on the historic environment is set out in the recently published Energy National Policy Statements. In most cases, applicants are required to seek expert assessment. Where assessments include investigative work, such as trial trenching, this should be proportionate.

Conducting this work during the pre-application planning phase enables developers to take into account findings and, if necessary, mitigate impacts by adapting project design at an early stage. It provides a robust evidence base to support decision making, helping to avoid delays after applications have been submitted or post consent.

Planning consents will set requirements for pre-construction archaeological surveys where appropriate, and techniques used may include trial trenching. The most appropriate technique is likely to depend on the specific circumstances in each case.

The department follows Health and Safety Executive guidance on building safety issues, and monitors reports from Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures, the Institution of Structural Engineers, and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for any bulletins on safety that may impact the school estate.

Where the department is alerted to significant safety issues with a building that cannot be managed with local resources, the department provides additional support on a case-by-case basis. There are no areas within schools open to pupils where there is a known immediate safety issue.

The department is working with the sector to establish a research study of several system-built frame types to establish how these buildings will age.

Following the National Audit Office’s recommendation in their June 2023 report on Condition of School Buildings, the department is consulting external academic and other experts on the proposed research into system-built blocks through a workshop in late March 2024.

Well-maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the department to support a high-quality education for all children. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme is transforming poor condition buildings at over 500 schools.

​​​It is the responsibility of those who run schools, such as academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools based on local knowledge of their estates.

This government introduced the Condition Data Collection (CDC), the first ever comprehensive survey of the school estate and one of the largest data collection programmes of its kind in Europe. Previous administrations took no action to understand the condition of the school estate. Running from 2017 to 2019, the survey allowed the department to understand the condition of the school estate over a sustained period, and informed capital funding and programmes by providing information on the condition of all 22,000 government funded school buildings and 260 further education colleges in England.

CDC2 started in 2021 and will complete in 2026. Any comparative assessment between both programmes will be undertaken upon the completion of CDC2 in 2026. The department has taken steps to ensure that the condition data collected is consistent and accurate across the school and further education college estate. Early indications from the CDC2 programme suggest that, in almost every case where a category D was identified in CDC1, it has since been addressed.

CDC visits are carried out by professionally trained building surveyors and mechanical engineers, who follow a specific methodology. Data goes through a robust quality assurance process, and schools are given the opportunity to feedback and comment on their report.

The department is not aware of any systemic misidentification of construction types in CDC1.

Well-maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the department to support a high-quality education for all children. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme is transforming poor condition buildings at over 500 schools.

​​​It is the responsibility of those who run schools, such as academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools based on local knowledge of their estates.

This government introduced the Condition Data Collection (CDC), the first ever comprehensive survey of the school estate and one of the largest data collection programmes of its kind in Europe. Previous administrations took no action to understand the condition of the school estate. Running from 2017 to 2019, the survey allowed the department to understand the condition of the school estate over a sustained period, and informed capital funding and programmes by providing information on the condition of all 22,000 government funded school buildings and 260 further education colleges in England.

CDC2 started in 2021 and will complete in 2026. Any comparative assessment between both programmes will be undertaken upon the completion of CDC2 in 2026. The department has taken steps to ensure that the condition data collected is consistent and accurate across the school and further education college estate. Early indications from the CDC2 programme suggest that, in almost every case where a category D was identified in CDC1, it has since been addressed.

CDC visits are carried out by professionally trained building surveyors and mechanical engineers, who follow a specific methodology. Data goes through a robust quality assurance process, and schools are given the opportunity to feedback and comment on their report.

The department is not aware of any systemic misidentification of construction types in CDC1.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation determined what buildings on Ministry of Defence land might potentially contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) material based on the period in which they were constructed and their construction type.

Surveys are currently being conducted on all buildings which may have been constructed using RAAC.

Surveys are ongoing on all buildings which may have been constructed using RAAC.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation determined what buildings on Ministry of Defence land might potentially contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) material based on the period in which they were constructed and their construction type.

Surveys are ongoing on all buildings which may have been constructed using RAAC.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation determined what buildings on Ministry of Defence land might potentially contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) material based on the period in which they were constructed and their construction type.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 October 2023 to Question 197591 to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Mr Luke Pollard)

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 October 2023 to Question 197591 to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Mr Luke Pollard)

As at 28 November 2023, 12,660 buildings on the Defence Estate have been identified that are of a construction type requiring an initial survey to determine if they contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

The table below details how many initial surveys have been completed, by region, as at 28 November 2023:

In addition to the above, 1,058 buildings still require an initial survey.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools - academy trusts, Local Authorities and voluntary aided school bodies - to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert the department if there is a serious concern with a building. It has always been the case that where the department is made aware a building may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.

All responsible bodies were requested to complete a questionnaire. We now have responses to these questionnaires for all of the schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 15,158.

The department is working with the sector to establish a research study of several system-built frame types to identify potential future issues.

The department is working with schools, responsible bodies, and potential contractors to enable these assessments to be carried out at 100 schools with a minimum of disruption and to provide research that will be widely applicable.

In establishing this research project the department considered the implications of disturbing hazardous materials, including asbestos. The department is taking time to ensure that safety measures are in place to continue to keep all students, staff, and the general public safe during these investigations, which has delayed the procurement timetable slightly.

The department expects that procurement will take place over the coming months and that the majority of the initial assessments will be undertaken over the easter and summer holiday periods of the 2023/24 academic year.

The department is working with the sector to establish a research study of several system-built frame types to identify potential future issues.

The department is working with schools, responsible bodies, and potential contractors to enable these assessments to be carried out at 100 schools with a minimum of disruption and to provide research that will be widely applicable.

In establishing this research project the department considered the implications of disturbing hazardous materials, including asbestos. The department is taking time to ensure that safety measures are in place to continue to keep all students, staff, and the general public safe during these investigations, which has delayed the procurement timetable slightly.

The department expects that procurement will take place over the coming months and that the majority of the initial assessments will be undertaken over the easter and summer holiday periods of the 2023/24 academic year.

The department is working with the sector to establish a research study of several system-built frame types to identify potential future issues.

The department is working with schools, responsible bodies, and potential contractors to enable these assessments to be carried out at 100 schools with a minimum of disruption and to provide research that will be widely applicable.

In establishing this research project the department considered the implications of disturbing hazardous materials, including asbestos. The department is taking time to ensure that safety measures are in place to continue to keep all students, staff, and the general public safe during these investigations, which has delayed the procurement timetable slightly.

The department expects that procurement will take place over the coming months and that the majority of the initial assessments will be undertaken over the easter and summer holiday periods of the 2023/24 academic year.

Full information on the ‘going rates’ for eligible occupation is published on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-going-rates-for-eligible-occupations.