Scottish schools and other buildings where dangerous crumbling concrete has been found pose no “immediate risk to safety”, an SNP minister has said.
Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray confirmed investigations are ongoing to assess building in Scotland containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).
The Scottish Government has confirmed the collapse-risk concrete is present in 35 Scottish schools, with checks underway to identify other public buildings such as hospitals and social housing where it may have been used.
The UK Government has ordered over 100 schools in England to close due to the presence of the material.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said on Saturday that Scottish ministers have no plans to close affected schools “at this stage”.
Speaking on BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show programme, Mr Gray said: “At the moment, there is no immediate risk to people using these buildings and that is why we continue to support our local authority partners, NHS boards and others, that have Raac in their buildings to ensure that remains the case, and if there are issues to be resolved, that mitigations are taken to ensure people’s safety.”
There is no reason to believe that the safety concern has changed
The concrete was used from the 1950s until the mid-1990s, with the Institute of Structural Engineers saying it will only need to be replaced if it is considered to be of poor condition and at high-risk of collapse.
Mr Gray added: “There is no reason to believe that the safety concern has changed in the previous weeks.
“Obviously there are checks ongoing, including intrusive checks, because obviously some of this material is going to be deep into the structure of buildings.
“Some of that takes time to carry out.”
Which Tayside and Fife schools are affected?
Dundee City Council says the concrete has been identified two unnamed schools in the city, but refused to identify them.
A spokesperson said the local authority had been aware of its presence for several years with ongoing monitoring in place.
Perth and Kinross Council confirmed work is underway at Perth Grammar School where Raac was used in a section of the school roof.
The school remains open, but the affected area is inaccessible.