MPs ‘deeply involved’ harmful concrete will shut hospitals in addition to faculties
MPs have informed Express.co.uk that they worry that the scandal engulfing school buildings over harmful concrete may additionally see hospitals and different public buildings shut.
Ministers have moved at present to offer reassurance on hospitals which have been constructed with bolstered autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) within the Nineteen Sixties to Nineteen Eighties in a bid to calm anger from MPs.
In complete seven hospitals have been recognized with RAAC which is now thought of unsafe for public buildings however sources near Health Secretary Steve Barclay have identified that he made a statement in May with a plan so as to add changing these hospitals to the 40 new ones promised and make them a precedence.
“It’s an issue we’ve been working on in hospitals for some time,” the supply added.
However, it has didn’t appease MPs who’re already livid over the chaos surrounding schools as kids put together to return subsequent week.
One senior Tory backbencher mentioned: “We appear to have completely lost control of what is going on. It is shocking that we still do not have a list of schools which will not open next week.
“This is a extremely delicate challenge and oldsters can be getting letters over the weekend saying their college isn’t opening. Nothing appears to be in place to cope with it and the entire thing is chaotic.”
The former minister added: “What is worse is that it seems to be like hospitals could have to shut as properly. There could have been an announcement earlier this 12 months however these hospitals haven’t been changed but.
“This could be a problem throughout public buildings – apparently a court may have to shut down as well.”
The MP mentioned: “Colleagues are livid about this. There will be an urgent question on Monday when we are back unless the government sees sense and makes a statement to the House.”
So far 154 faculties have been listed as not opening however the determine may find yourself being larger.
Meanwhile, MPs have questioned why faculties minister Nick Gibb has finished many of the media rounds attempting to elucidate what is occurring.
One Conservative MP requested: “Where is the Education Secretary? Where is Gillian Keegan? She has largely been anonymous as people panic about this issue.
“She ought to be main from the entrance however she has gone largely AWOL.”
Ms Keegan has done media interviews on the issue and sources said she is leading the response.
Over the last year, there have been warnings issued about the risk of crumbling ceilings and the consequences it could have after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was used by builders from the 1960s to the 1980s.
RAAC was also used to build numerous schools across the country – with 52 deemed at critical risk of collapse leading to closures.
In total, the government says 24 NHS buildings contain RAAC planks but just seven of them have been prioritised for urgent rebuilding work.
The material is said to be structurally weaker than traditional concrete and has been likened to a “chocolate Aero bar” with an anticipated lifespan of simply 30 years.
The hospitals believed to be at essential threat are:
- Airedale in West Yorkshire
- Queen Elizabeth King’s Lynn in Norfolk
- Hitchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire
- Mid Cheshire Leighton in Cheshire
- Frimley Park in Surrey
- West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds
- James Paget Hospital in Norfolk