Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) across the public sector in Scotland

Assurance, longer-term approach and further work

As is clear from the above, significant work has been undertaken across multiple sectors to identify the presence of RAAC and, as appropriate and in line with industry guidance and best practice, to put in place monitoring, mitigation or remediation arrangements.

Across all sectors the vast majority of investigation and assessment work is complete and comprehensive programmes of RAAC management are being established. There can therefore be a high degree of assurance that across the public sector every effort is being made to mitigate against the building safety issues associated with RAAC and to ensure appropriate longer-term arrangements are in place.

Ultimately, it is the view of the Scottish Government that the presence and management of RAAC in a building should be addressed in the same way that other building maintenance issues are managed by building owners. However, there is an ongoing importance in ensuring continuing awareness as well as assurance that RAAC management planning is embedded across affected organisations. The Scottish Government will therefore seek to maintain engagement across sectors and with key stakeholders and industry representatives as the evolving response to the issues raised by RAAC as a building maintenance and safety issue continues to develop.

In tandem with continuing ongoing engagement, in consultation with stakeholders and interested parties, it is the intention to undertake an exercise identifying lessons from the response to RAAC. Any such lessons may assist in informing similar responses in future or, more generally, in the development of building standards guidance or legislation.

Next steps

Officials will continue to keep the Building and Fire Safety: Ministerial Working Group updated on progress with regards to the ongoing and longer-term RAAC management being undertaken across the wider public sector.

Officials will also report to the Working Group in due course on those lessons identified as part of the RAAC response and which may assist in informing responses to any future building maintenance and safety issues.

Building Standards Division
September 2024