Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Acknowledged
Inconsistent PAS 9980 fire risk appraisals lead to significant delays and disputes.
Conclusion
Under the PAS 9980 methodology, competent professionals conduct Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEWs) in which they make conclusions about the risk to life posed by a building’s cladding and make proposals about remedial measures to reduce the level of risk to ‘tolerable’,57 The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) told us that the PAS 9980 assessments were resulting in different conclusions according to the individual conducting the assessment, and often conclusions that differed from the wider ‘Fire Risk Assessments’ that they were meant to inform.58 End Our Cladding Scandal (EOCS) told us in written evidence that three years after PAS9980 was introduced, huge inconsistency in the quality of FRAEWs, was causing “endless delays” over work starting due to disputes over the scope of works. At our evidence session, EOCS told us if 15 different fire engineers were to conduct a FRAEW, they would come up with 15 different opinions.59
Government Response Summary
The government states that remediation reduces risk and that PAS 9980 was developed with expert advice and public consultation; MHCLG has asked the insurance industry to build evidence on claims performance of remediated buildings and share that with the government.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4.3 The government’s view is that remediation reduces risk and that this should be reflected in pricing. PAS 9980 has been developed by the British Standards Institute who drew on expert advice from professionals across industry and public consultation. Recognising that insurers set prices based on risk and their obligation to provide products that are fair value, MHCLG has also asked the insurance industry to build the evidence on the claims performance of remediated buildings and to share that with the government.