Grenfell Tower Inquiry

That the government draw together under a single regulator all the functions relating to the construction industry to which we have referred. (113.6)

In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that it had completed the transition of the Building Safety Regulator out of the Health and Safety Executive and published its consultation response on the single regulator (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). In the same September 2026 update, the department stated that bringing forward primary legislation is the next step, with introduction planned between 2027 and 2029 before the single regulator is established between 2028 and 2029 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). HM Government had accepted the recommendation in principle in February 2025, excluding product testing and certification functions to avoid creating a conflict of interest (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025).

That the construction regulator should be responsible for assessing the conformity of construction products with the requirements of legislation, statutory guidance and industry standards and issuing certificates as appropriate. We should expect such certificates to become pre-eminent in the market. (113.22)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated in September 2026 that it is reviewing responses to consultations on the Construction Products Reform White Paper and the General Safety Requirement, with plans to publish responses and set out next steps later in the year (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department's implementation timeline projects introducing primary and secondary legislation between 2027 and 2029 when parliamentary time allows, followed by establishing the single regulator and concluding the legislative framework between 2028 and 2029 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026).

a) that copies of all test results supporting any certificate issued by the construction regulator be included in the certificate; b) that manufacturers be required to provide the construction regulator with the full testing history of the product or material to which the certificate relates and inform the regulator of any material circumstances that may affect its performance; and c) manufacturers be required by law to provide on request copies of all test results that support claims about fire performance made for their products. (113.23)

In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that consultations on its Construction Products Reform White Paper and a General Safety Requirement had closed, with responses being considered to refine proposals ahead of publishing government replies later in the year (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department set out in September 2026 that primary and secondary legislation remains to be introduced between 2027 and 2029 when parliamentary time allows, with the regulatory framework to be finalised and a single regulator established between 2028 and 2029 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026).

That it be made a legal requirement for the government to maintain a publicly accessible record of recommendations made by select committees, coroners and public inquiries together with a description of the steps taken in response. If the government decides not to accept a recommendation, it should record its reasons for doing so. Scrutiny of its actions should be a matter for Parliament, to which it should be required to report annually. (113.40)

In September 2026, Baroness Blake of Leeds stated that the government had delivered the Inquiry's recommendation on transparency through new dashboards that publicly track progress across inquiries (Baroness Blake of Leeds, Sep 2026). The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government previously reported in February 2026 that the recommendation was complete and had been fully discharged after launching quarterly dashboards on GOV.UK covering several inquiries (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026). The department added that it would continue to review the need for legislation while maintaining and improving the dashboards (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026).

We therefore recommend that every gas transporter be required by law to check the accessibility of each such valve on its system at least once every three years and to report the results of that inspection to the Health and Safety Executive as part of its gas safety case review. (113.44)

The Inquiry recommended requiring gas transporters to inspect valve accessibility every three years. In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated that the recommendation was "complete and has been fully discharged" (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department previously reported in February 2026 that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was analysing network operator data to inform targeted engagement on valve access (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026). In February 2025, HM Government had accepted the recommendation in principle, agreeing that valve accessibility is key but noting that inspection intervals might need to vary (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025).

We welcome the government’s ambition to create an independent College of Fire and Rescue expressed in the white paper Reforming our Fire and Rescue Service and we therefore recommend that the government establish such a college immediately with sufficient resources to provide the following services nationally: a. practical training at all levels supplementary to that provided by individual fire and rescue services; b. education in the form of lectures and seminars on different aspects of the work of the fire and rescue services in order to share experience and promote good practice; c. research into matters that may affect the work of the fire and rescue services, including major fires; d. the development of equipment, policies and procedures suitable for ensuring the effectiveness of fire and rescue services nationally and the safety of firefighters and the public; e. setting and maintaining national standards of managerial competence for senior managers, including control room managers, and providing management training for, and regular assessment of, senior ranks by reference to such standards. (113.51)

The Inquiry recommended establishing an independent College of Fire and Rescue. In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that a public consultation on the college closed in July 2026, with work focused on analysing responses to inform a formal response and implementation plans (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). In its September 2026 timeline, the department scheduled publication of its consultation response for early 2027, with primary legislation planned between 2027 and 2029 and implementation beginning between 2028 and 2029 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). HM Government accepted the recommendation in principle in February 2025, stating that establishing the college would require primary legislation (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025).

Although it is for the government to decide how the college should be constituted, we recommend that it should have a permanent staff of sufficient size to manage its operations and develop its functions in response to the demands of fire and rescue services nationally and the requirements of the board. The college will need access to permanent facilities, including facilities for practical training and education. We envisage that much of the training and education will be delivered and led by firefighters of suitable experience drawn as the occasion requires from fire and rescue services around the country. (113.53)

The Inquiry recommended that the fire college have permanent staff and practical training facilities. In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that a public consultation on the college's aims, scope, and design closed in July 2026, though permanent staff and facilities were not mentioned (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). In its September 2026 timeline, the department indicated that publishing a consultation response in early 2027, primary legislation between 2027 and 2029, and implementation from 2028 remain outstanding (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). HM Government had accepted the recommendation in principle in February 2025, stating that the college's structure and delivery would be captured by the consultation (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025).

Regulation 23 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) Regulations 2005 requires a Category 1 responder to have regard when making its plans to the activities of relevant voluntary organisations. We therefore recommend that the regulation be amended to require Category 1 responders to establish and maintain partnerships with the voluntary, community and faith organisations in the areas in which they are responsible for preparing for and responding to emergencies. (113.68)

In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that it is finalising updates to the National Resilience Standards to strengthen voluntary sector partnership working while continuing an impact assessment into statutory options (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department scheduled this assessment and its decision on how to strengthen partnerships for the final quarter of 2026 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). In February 2026, the department stated that a public consultation found no consensus in favour of regulatory change, adding that a final decision on amending regulations will be taken during the 2027 review of the Civil Contingencies Act (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026).

That a mechanism be introduced for independently verifying the frequency and quality of training provided by local authorities and other Category 1 responders. (113.71)

In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that it had begun testing proposals with the sector to establish a reporting process on training quality and frequency (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department stated in September 2026 that publication of updated resilience guidance for local authorities had been delayed to the fourth quarter of 2026 to align with wider devolution and standards work (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). HM Government had previously accepted the recommendation in principle in February 2025, proposing revised national occupational standards and reporting frameworks across Category 1 responders (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025).