Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
Accepted
Insufficient capacity and capability within the Building Safety Regulator is delaying remediation efforts
Conclusion
We heard concerns about insufficient capacity and capability at the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), which oversees the safety and standards of buildings over 18 metres. The HBF told us that the BSR was continuing to hold up development, including self-remediation work, for buildings over 18 metres. In written evidence, the HBF reported that applications to the BSR 31 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response, 26 February 2025 32 Qq 19, 39, 42 33 Higher–risk buildings are residential buildings taller than 7 storeys or 18 metres. 34 MHCLG Remediation Acceleration Plan 35 Qq 22–23, 35 16 for building control approval, required before works can begin on site, were taking for to five times longer that the targeted 12 weeks.36 When we asked about the reasons for these hold ups, the HBF acknowledged that while some applications were complex, there was a lack of qualified people in the BSR to do the work. The LGA explained that this was new work for the BSR, and the regulator was learning on the job. In written evidence, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors told us about examples of BSR inspectors not having fire-safety backgrounds, and an industry-wide shortage of cladding experts to fill BSR posts.37 36 Q 15; RDC0006, Written evidence submitted by the Home Builders Federation 37 Qq 17, 19; RDC0092, Written evidence submitted by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, 4 February 2025 17 2 Protecting residents Improving the remediation experience for residents
Government Response Summary
The government committed to updating the Committee by July 2025 on its ongoing work to increase capacity and skills across the building sector to accelerate remediation, including providing additional funding for the Building Safety Regulator and working with mayoral strategic areas.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: July 2025 The government agrees to update the Committee on the work it is doing to increase capacity and skills across the building sector to accelerate remediation, by the end of July 2025. Progressing remediation and ensuring that residents are safe in their own homes is a priority for this government. Whilst the government accepts that the context is challenging, it does not accept that it has been complacent about the risks identified by the Committee. Examples of the work MHCLG has done to increase capacity and skills across the sector supporting government’s remediation and housebuilding objectives include: providing additional funding to boost the Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) capacity of case officers; improve infrastructure, training and processes to maximise BSR’s operational efficiency; bringing in additional experienced and qualified building control inspectors from private sector Registered Building Control Approvers to bolster its capacity to deal with both remediation work and Gateway applications for new High-Rise Buildings. The department is also working with mayoral strategic areas to drive remediation through Local Remediation Acceleration Plans – bringing together expertise, local knowledge and resources to create single area strategies. In terms of capacity and skills in the construction sector, the department continually monitors and reacts to changes and capacity in the remediation supply chain, via market capacity surveys, supplier engagement forums and through continual liaison and collaboration with delivery partners.