‘Bonkers!’ Nicola Sturgeon savaged over £300k Covid plan to remove classroom doors

Nicola Sturgeon is a 'Covid hysteric' says Dan Wootton

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Scotland’s fire service raised concerns yesterday about the safety of the SNP’s intentions to try and limit the spread of Covid in schools by cutting off the bottom of classroom doors. Ms Sturgeon has insisted the proposal, which has an estimated cost of £300,000 to the taxpayer, was “basic common sense”.

However, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) urged councils to consult its safety teams first.

Their statement on the issue warned that classroom doors “play a key role in preventing smoke and fire from spreading within buildings”.

Their statement proved embarrassing for Ms Sturgeon, as she had earlier admitted that the SFRS had not approved the controversial plan.

Responsibility for checking safety regulations lay with local councils, not the Scottish Government, argued Ms Sturgeon.

When the SNP were faced with widespread mockery and derision for the proposal, Ms Sturgeon called for a more “grown-up” discussion about improving school ventilation.

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, described the idea as “bonkers” as he pressed Ms Sturgeon at First Minister’s Questions.

He added that he had been contacted by a retired firefighter, who claimed that the scheme would increase the risk of fires spreading in schools.

An SFRS spokesman also highlighted the key role doors play in stopping fire from spreading.

He said: “As such the SFRS would strongly advise duty holders to make contact with our fire safety enforcement teams before undertaking any actions which would have an impact on the fire safety arrangements within their premises.”

Meghan Gallacher, Scottish Conservative shadow minister for children and young people, told Fife Today: “Nicola Sturgeon has to listen to experts and halt her frankly absurd plans to chop up classroom doors.

“The First Minister has to stop digging in and recognise her proposal is illogical and even potentially dangerous, according to fire safety experts.

“Nicola Sturgeon dismissed valid concerns from a retired firefighter and claimed her plan was ‘common sense’. She must listen now that Scotland’s fire service is advising caution.

“Our schools need more air filters to protect against Covid. They don’t need classroom doors chopped up.”

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In response to Ms Gallacher’s comments, a government spokesperson said: “These comments are highly misleading. Adjustment of non-fire doors is just one potential measure that local authorities may decide to implement in a relatively small number of problematic spaces to improve air flow – having full regard to expert advice. As we have made clear, other potential measures include use of air cleaning devices or small mechanical ventilation units. The precise remedial measures used in each case should be informed by local circumstances and expert assessment by local authority teams.

“Our guidance already makes clear that when implementing any Covid safety measures, local authorities must continue to adhere to legal obligations with regard to health and safety, which include fire safety.

“Local authorities have taken action and are continuing to work hard to make improvements across the whole schools estate, helped by the additional funding we have made available to support their work.”

When Ms Sturgeon was asked by Mr Ross if the Scottish Government had consulted the service before deciding on the policy, she simply told MSPs this was the responsibility of councils.

However, when her spokesman was later pressed on whether this meant that no consultation with the service had been undertaken at all, he said: “I’m not aware of specific contact with SFRS.”

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The spokesman, when questioned why schools couldn’t simply prop doors open rather than paying £150 per door to have the bottoms cut off, added: “It’s been suggested, along with a range of measures.”

Defending the policy, Ms Sturgeon said: “If you have doors or windows that are not enabling that natural flow of air in a way that you would want it to, then it would strike me as basic common sense you would take measures to rectify that.”

Mr Ross rebutted by saying: “It would be laughable if it wasn’t such a serious issue. Indeed, there is a fire-safety point here.

“The First Minister must guarantee that all of the serious ventilation measures – not chopping the ends off classroom doors – will be in place by the time that schools go back after the February holiday.”

Shirley-Anne Somerville, SNP Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, said earlier this week that between two and four percent of rooms across Scotland’s schools and nurseries had been identified as having “problematic” carbon dioxide levels due to inadequate ventilation.

She said £5 million would now be spent trying to improve their airflow using filtration units, extraction fans and by chopping off the bottoms of doors.

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