Guildford’s Conservative MP votes for 'concrete cover-up' to hide list of schools and hospitals affected by failing RAAC concrete.

Angela Richardson voted against Liberal Democrat call for Government to publish full list | News emerges of RAAC at Royal Surrey County Hospital and a Guildford School.

The Liberal Democrat amendment to the Levelling Up Bill would have forced the Government to publish a full register of schools and hospitals across the country which are in a state of serious disrepair, including schools and hospitals affected by autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and asbestos. 

The list would have to be published within one month of the bill's passing, and regularly updated on a three-month basis with up-to-date information. 

Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Guildford said:

“For me, this is a simple principle of openness and transparency. It's shameful that Ms Richardson voted to cover-up information and hide it from her constituents.

“It’s all the more insulting to us, since just days after the vote, it was revealed Guildford’s Kings College school, and areas of the Royal Surrey Hospital, have been found to be affected by RAAC.

“In voting against the Liberal Democrat amendment, our Conservative MP, Angela Richardson, is complicit in a “concrete cover-up.”

In August, the Government found itself engulfed in the RAAC crisis, which forced schools to close days before returning from their summer break.

Despite this, 301 Conservative MPs including Angela Richardson voted (Tuesday 17 October) to cover up the full list of schools and hospitals that could follow suit, and hide important information about the state of buildings from the public. 

It follows Rishi Sunak blocking plans to rebuild hospitals and rejecting pleas by Department of Education officials for an extra £900 million a year for school funding in the 2021 Spending Review during his tenure as Chancellor. 

Zöe Franklin added:

"The Conservative Government’s continued efforts to hide this information is shocking. We have a right to know whether our schools and hospitals are safe, and to have the assurance that they will have the expertise and finances they need to make the necessary repairs. 

"If Ms Richardson won't fight for adequate funding to repair our schools and hospitals, the least she can do is be open with her constituents about which buildings are affected".