THE Education Secretary has responded to criticism after using strong language in an interview.
Gillian Keegan (below) was facing questions from ITV News after it was announced that 104 schools and colleges in England had to close just days before the start of the new term.
The cabinet minister expressed frustration that she had not been praised for her work as Education Secretary, saying: “Does anyone ever say, you know what, you’ve done a f****** good job because everyone else has sat on their arse and done nothing?”
READ MORE: Which schools in Scotland have RAAC concrete and are any closed?
She has since apologised for what she called “choice language”, saying that it was an “off-the-cuff remark”.
Keegan said that her comments were aimed at “nobody in particular”, but expressed frustration at those who had not yet returned questionnaires asking whether schools have the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) present.
She added: “It’s also frustrating that we’ve got some questionnaires that still are not there, we’ve been chasing and chasing them, we’ve written again today to say you need to get your questionnaires in by the end of the week.”
The concrete is at risk of collapse and was used in public buildings across the country from the 1950s up to the mid-1990s.
READ MORE: What is RAAC? The unsafe concrete found at schools
The Scottish Government has said there are no plans to close Scottish schools which have the substance present.
The official spokesperson for the Prime Minister said they were satisfied with Keegan’s apology.
They continued: “I think what will be at the forefront of parents’ minds is the situation of their school and the government’s focus today has been on providing further transparency.
“What the public will continue to find is that in the vast majority of cases, their child’s school is not affected.”
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