Review of concrete risk in Scotland will take ‘some months’, says Yousaf

First Minister Humza Yousaf has said a desk-based review of collapse-prone concrete will likely take ‘some months’, but has stressed that mitigations will be put in place where there is risk. The Scottish Government confirmed that reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in 35 schools across Scotland , with local authorities in the process of checking other buildings. But that review would take some time to complete, the First Minister has said. Used in construction between the 1950s and 1990s, the concrete was found in 104 schools in England, with the decision taken by the UK Government to close some buildings. Local authorities have given us returns for around 35 schools that tell us they have Raac in them and mitigations have been put in place to ensure that there is no immediate safety concerns for either the pupils or the staff that work there Humza Yousaf, First Minister Speaking to the PA news agency on Monday, Mr Yousaf said: ‘It was important to do the desk-based review, but it’s also fair to say that where NHS sites, in particular, feel there needs to be a physical investigation, then there will be a physical investigation if that’s required. ‘Given the size of the estate we’re looking at, not just the NHS but the public sector estate, it will take some months to complete that fully. ‘But, of course, it’s not a binary, it’s an evolving picture,’ he added, claiming that ‘appropriate mitigations’ will be put in place when the concrete is found. The First Minister said: ‘Local authorities have given us returns for around 35 schools that tell us they have Raac in them and mitigations have been put in place to ensure that there is no immediate safety concerns for either the pupils or the staff that work there.’ Similar circumstances are found in health boards, he said, with staff ‘not waiting for the review to be completed’ before taking action. The First Minister’s comments come the day after one of his ministers said there was ‘no immediate risk’ to the public concerning Raac. Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday Show, Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil 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.’