Fears more Darlington schools will have RAAC

So far, both Carmel College and St. Teresa’s Catholic Elementary School have been affected.

There is concern that schools will not be inspected if they have not responded to the Ministry of Education’s questionnaire on RAAC.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said a number of schools had not yet returned their surveys.

Get the latest news, sport and entertainment direct to your device for just £1.50 a week, click Here

Stephen Harker, leader of Darlington Council, expressed his concern at the evolving crisis.

He said: “It seems to be getting worse every day.”

“St. Teresa is having a survey conducted this week to find out the extent of the problem.

“If schools have to pay to move, I suspect some will face financial bankruptcy.

“I am concerned that this survey may not seem urgent to some schools.

“I think we’re still in the dark until more schools do the testing.”

“I am sure we will see more of our schools affected.

“But hopefully the two (that have been identified) are the only ones.”

“It’s entirely possible that some schools have pieces that are from the right period.”

Rishi Sunak defended his record yesterday (September 4), telling broadcasters that 95 percent of English schools were not affected.

His spokesman later said: “I think the Prime Minister has reassured parents, students and schools that the vast majority – we expect more than 95 per cent will not be affected.”

“As you heard from the Education Minister this morning, we are expecting hundreds, not thousands.

“While we are still waiting for schools to return their surveys and confirm their specific situations, we cannot provide more definitive information.”

An Education Department spokesman said it was difficult to put a figure on the number of schools that had yet to return the survey.

They said, “We sent out a questionnaire, followed by a survey.”

“The questionnaire was sent to all schools.

“We have the vast majority back, but we are not releasing a formal number.

“We’re getting something back now.”

Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson attacked the Prime Minister over his decisions during his term as Chancellor.

She said: “The Prime Minister has now revealed what many parents feared: this crisis is affecting many more schools than they first realised.”

Read more

“The decisions he made directly as Chancellor to drastically reduce the number of schools to be rebuilt are set out in black and white in a spending review he signed and have directly put children at risk through this dangerous form of concrete, which is what should have happened .” has been replaced.

“It is time for this Conservative government, including the Prime Minister, to be clear about which schools were affected, what they knew about this dangerous concrete and the decisions they made that led to the closure of more than a hundred schools.”

“If they don’t, Labor will force a vote in the House of Commons to release the information.”