MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson, has called on the SNP to address the ‘shocking’ levels of asbestos in schools across North Lanarkshire.
In response to a Freedom of Information Request by the Scottish Conservatives, North Lanarkshire Council revealed that a total of 90 Primary, Secondary and special schools contain the toxic substance.
Mr Simpson slammed the SNP for continuing to pass on “savage” cuts to local authorities, meaning schools in the region don’t have the resources to remove asbestos from their buildings.
He said that parents will be “rightly concerned” about these findings and seeking “urgent reassurances” from the new SNP education secretary Jenny Gilruth, herself a former teacher, that financial support will be provided to remedy this.
Mr Simpson added the findings “fly in the face” of education being the SNP’s supposed top priority and efforts must be redoubled to keep pupils, teachers and support staff in North Lanarkshire safe from the threat of asbestos in their workplace.
MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson, said: “These shocking figures raise serious questions about the safety of many of North Lanarkshire’s schools on the SNP’s watch.
“With 90 out of 154 of them containing deadly asbestos, these findings fly in the face of education supposedly being this Government’s top priority.
“Asbestos is toxic and can have fatal consequences for those exposed to it. Parents will be rightly concerned about the sheer number of schools known to have it in the region.
“They will be seeking urgent reassurances from new SNP education secretary Jenny Gilruth – herself a former teacher – that support will be provided to remedy this.
“The findings also reaffirm the impact of the SNP’s savage funding cuts on local authorities like North Lanarkshire, who seemingly can’t afford to remove asbestos from schools in the region.
“That must change which is why the SNP must back Scottish Conservative calls to give councils a fair funding deal to remove these deadly threats once and for all, to keep our pupils, teachers and support staff safe at all times.”
