Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Accepted
MHCLG's remediation plan lacks sufficient scope and fails to address critical issues.
Recommendation
End Our Cladding Scandal (EOCS) told us it was not confident that MHCLG’s Plan would deliver for residents. It explained that too many barriers and issues remained, that MHCLG’s 2029 target was still five long years away and that it would only mean remediation was complete for some buildings–high rise buildings within the government’s grant programmes. EOCS said the target date, without an indication of when all buildings will be made safe, was essentially meaningless. It also told us that there were 13 Qq 30, 37; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Joint plan to accelerate developer-led remediation and improve resident experience, Policy paper, published 2 December 2024 14 Qq 34, 36-37, 39; MHCLG Remediation Acceleration Plan 15 MHCLG Remediation Acceleration Plan 16 Qq 31, 40; MHCLG Remediation Acceleration Plan; C&AG’s Report para 2.2 12 still too many issues that were not being addressed by the Government’s programmes, including non–qualifying leaseholders, shared ownership and buildings under 11 metres and that non-cladding fire safety defects were holding up remediation.17
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and will publish an updated Remediation Acceleration Plan in Autumn 2025. This update will include policy and legislative changes, progress in identifying dangerous cladding, and a commitment to removing remediation blockers and strengthening enforcement legislation for buildings over 11 metres.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Autumn 2025 The government is working to publish an update of the Remediation Acceleration Plan in Summer 2025; however, this is dependent on the outcome of the 2025 Spending Review. The update to the Committee will dovetail with this work, and therefore an update will be provided in Autumn 2025. The update will address the (i) policy and legislative changes required to implement the Remediation Acceleration Plan and (iii) progress in identifying buildings with dangerous cladding. For (ii), the government has not seen significant evidence that non-cladding defects are slowing down remediation. It is however committed to removing blockers to accelerate remediation and this will be included in the Autumn update. For (iv), legislation exists that addresses the enforcement of internal and external fire safety defects. The government has however seen a need to strengthen legislation to make enforcement of cladding remediation more effective. It is therefore working towards creating a legal duty on those responsible for buildings at or above 11 metres to take the necessary steps to fix their buildings within clear timescales. An update will be included in the Autumn response.