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Leak reveals plan to axe asbestos in schools group

Asbestos campaigners have voiced their fears that ministers may try and silence critics of DfE asbestos policy by axing its Asbestos in Schools groups. After a leak to the national press, there have been calls for transparency over group’s future. Dorothy

A steering group of experts set up to manage asbestos in schools may be disbanded, according to a leaked report.

Ministers have considered scaling back the work of the Department for Education’s (DfE)Asbestos Steering Group, in a bid to save money.

A DfE document handed to ministers for consideration in February this year said the department could “stop policy work and reduce stakeholder engagement on asbestos”.

The document, drafted by a civil servant, warned: “This is an emotive policy area and closing down the current stakeholder group would be controversial.

“Furthermore, any isolated incident of a school closing due to asbestos will mean we need to be able to respond.

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