Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the guidance suggesting that schools should have such a survey every five years, for what reason a reported 34 schools are recorded as not having had a condition survey since 2015 or earlier in its School Estate Statistics 2025.
It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate, and we expect them to undertake condition surveys at least every 5 years, in line with the condition reporting core facts guidance which the Scottish Government co-produced with local authorities.
In situations where schools were built under PPP (Public-Private Partnerships), PFI (Private finance initiative) or similar arrangements which included school maintenance contracts, local authorities report that the buildings are monitored and maintained by a third party.
It is local authorities’ responsibility to ensure schools built under such arrangements continue to be maintained to a sufficiently high standard, given the maintenance contract that will be in place.