ASBESTOS IN SCHOOLS

That this House welcomed the opportunity to debate the issue of asbestos in schools in Westminster Hall; notes the fatal effect that exposure to asbestos continues to have on pupils and teachers exposed to asbestos fibres in school buildings; further notes that the incidence of mesothelioma is rising, with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers citing at least 400 members of the teaching profession who have been exposed to asbestos, recognises that 75 per cent. of all schools across the country have asbestos present in one form or another; notes that in the United States of America and the Republic of Ireland clear policies have been adopted in relation to asbestos in school buildings; calls upon the Government to carry out a confidential national survey of schools, followed by funding from the Department of Children, Schools and Families for any school identified during the survey as needing remedial work; further calls on the Government to implement a policy of replacing all asbestos containing materials in schools as part of a national strategy with clear targets in order to provide safe environments for the nation's pupils to succeed; and welcomes the Government's concession that proper training needs to be provided to all head teachers and school managers regarding their current responsibilities in this area.