Crisis looms as 12,000 MOD buildings may be at risk

The Ministry of Defence is potentially facing a crisis as it confronts the grim prospect that nearly 13,000 of its buildings may be compromised by deteriorating Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

The MoD’s reluctance to disclose comprehensive details about the extent of RAAC utilisation in its buildings has sparked a torrent of criticism.

Despite completing surveys of 11,602 buildings, the ministry remains tight-lipped about the presence of RAAC, fuelling concerns and frustration.

Kevan Jones, Labour MP for North Durham, voiced his astonishment, stating, “It’s astonishing that the MoD does not know how many of its buildings are made with RAAC. Our service personnel have a right to know if the building they are living or working in is at risk of collapse.”

The situation is further aggravated by the MoD’s response to parliamentary inquiries. Instead of providing current and transparent data, the ministry’s most recent reply referred Jones back to an outdated response from the previous year, drawing ire for its evasiveness and lack of timely updates.

This approach starkly contrasts with the urgent need for clarity and decisive action, especially in light of RAAC’s history of ‘cracking’ and ‘corrosion’, first flagged in 1996 and brought into sharp focus following recent collapses in school buildings.