| answer text |
<p>The Government has allocated £9.5 billion in condition funding since 2015 to maintain
and improve the school estate, including an extra £560 million this financial year.
As much of the funding is provided to responsible bodies, such as local authorities,
large academy trusts and voluntary aided school bodies, to invest in condition priorities
based on local need, we are not able to provide a breakdown of spend on energy efficiency.
On top of capital allocations to the school system, the Priority School Building Programme
is rebuilding or refurbishing school buildings in the worst condition across the country,
covering over 500 schools. In June, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced
a new, transformative 10-year school rebuilding programme. This will replace school
buildings that are ageing or in poor condition with modern, energy-efficient designs
that will help to meet the government’s net zero target. We are working to improve
schools’ capability and efficiency in managing their estates, and have published guidance
on good estate management, which includes energy efficiency measures and a checklist
that schools can use to help them take action. We are also working in partnership
with the Construction Innovation Hub (funded by UK Research and Innovation) to develop
a model of sustainable future school buildings using modern methods of construction.
More broadly, we are working with colleagues across government on carbon reduction
and energy efficiency, and are considering how future capital programmes can contribute
further.</p><p>On 1 October, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(BEIS) announced a £1 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and Public Sector
Low Carbon Skills Fund. The scheme is being provided via Salix Finance and schools
are eligible to apply for grant funding for capital energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation
projects. This is a grant scheme, hence there is no payback criteria set on this funding.</p><p>The
application round for the Salix Energy Efficiency Fund for academies is due to reopen
in mid-October 2020. BEIS is responsible for this programme, and future funding is
subject to the Spending Review. Academies that are eligible for the Condition Improvement
Fund (CIF) can also apply through the annual CIF round for an interest free energy
efficiency Salix loan for all or part of the CIF project funding if an element of
the project will provide revenue savings for energy efficiency works.</p>
|
|
