Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 5
5
There is a shortage of specialist skills to support the remediation of buildings with unsafe...
Conclusion
There is a shortage of specialist skills to support the remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding. There is a shortage of fire safety expertise, both in the enforcement and inspection of buildings with unsafe cladding; this has been a particular issue with fire engineers. To date, work has centred on the removal and replacement of Grenfell-style cladding, covering around 450 buildings. However, the demand for specialist skills is set to increase markedly with the new £1 billion Building Safety Fund, launched in May 2020, for removing other forms of unsafe cladding. The Department has estimated there are around 1,700 buildings within the scope of the new fund. The Department says that it has begun to look at supply chain issues through its project management contractor, but this is very late in the day, given that it has committed to allocating funding by April 2021. Recommendation: The Department should, within the next three months, assess the capacity of specialist fire safety skills within the sector and set out what the impact is on delivery of its timetables for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding. It should include in this assessment options to tackle the skills shortage so that this does not become a barrier to remediation work continuing at pace. 8 Progress in remediating dangerous cladding 1 Remediation of dangerous cladding
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6: PAC conclusion: There is a shortage of specialist skills to support the remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding. 6: PAC recommendation: The Department should, within the next three months assess the capacity of specialist fire safety skills within the sector and set out what the impact is on delivery of its timetables for the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding. It should include in this assessment options to tackle the skills shortage so that this does not become a barrier to remediation work continuing at pace. 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2020 6.2 From the outset of the programme, the department has engaged industry to ensure sufficient capacity exists to meet demand and to have arrangements in place to address any blockages in the supply chain. This included establishing the Industry Response Group. 6.3 Following extensive engagement with industry, the department has published guidance on building safety, remediation and COVID-19, reflecting the government’s view that remediation of unsafe ACM cladding remains a priority. The department successfully engaged with industry to support its return to remediation work during the COVID-19 restrictions. 6.4 The department is fully aware of the challenges with the capacity of professional fire expertise and the associated public indemnity insurance constraints. As set out in the department’s response to recommendation 4 above, with industry, the department has a number of joint workstreams in train actively seeking to address these issues.