THE LEADER of Harlow Labour and their candidate at the next General Election is continuing to put pressure on Harlow MP Robert Halfon over safety in our local schools.

Chris Vince said: “Whilst nobody can be blamed for the failure of RAAC in our public buildings, questions must be asked about why the plans to replace it were so inadequate. The closure of schools in Harlow and across the country at incredibly short notice has caused chaos and uncertainty for pupils, parents and staff.

If the structural integrity of these buildings had only just come to light, last minute, emergency action was of course necessary. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that 
the dangerous nature of these buildings has been known about for some time and covered up.
In May of this year, Labour asked parliament to make public a report into the safety of school buildings. Harlow’s MP & Education Minister Mr Halfon, voted to keep the report secret. 

Perhaps the leaked comments of his fellow Conservative Minister that “we need to keep a lid on this for two years and then it will be somebody else’s problem” tells a damning tale.

So I challenge Mr Halfon to come out of hiding and give some straightforward answers to these questions.

1) Why did he vote to keep secret a report into the safety of school buildings in May?

2) What did that report say about the dangers to children from crumbling concrete?

3) Why did the department on which he is a Minister only ask for 200 schools to be rebuilt every year when experts were saying 400 were needed. And why did he say nothing when Mr Sunak budgeted for only 100 and then cut that to fifty?

4) Will he now support Labour’s call to make the May report public or will he intend to continue to try and keep it secret?