Gove’s proposal to ditch green standards for school prompts high-level talks across Whitehall

The Department for Education’s move to scrap green standards for new school buildings has prompted high-level talks across Whitehall.

Education secretary Michael Gove has faced a growing industry backlash over the proposal to ditch BREEAM ratings for schools, while this week Liberal democrat peer Baron Jones of Cheltenham tabled a question asking how the “decision to abandon” BREEAM will assist its “agenda to become the greenest government ever”.

Building understands that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Energy and Climate Change are also lobbying Gove’s department over the issue.

A source close to the situation said there were ongoing high-level meetings across government, with a number of departments involved.

“There are strong feelings and strong arguments being made on both sides,” the source said.