Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

This is a matter for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry which will be looking specifically at recommendations received from experts, professionals and trade bodies, and what steps were taken by Central Government in response to these recommendations.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Department has not consulted Dr Barbara Lane or Professor Jose Torero on the design of the test. The test has been designed in line with standard industry practice.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The independent Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry is committed to publishing its costs on a regular basis. Costs for Phase 1 will be published once Phase 1 has completed.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry is an independent public Inquiry. The timetable for the Inquiry’s work is a matter for the Inquiry Chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick.

The Chair set out next steps for the Inquiry's work at the conclusion of the Phase 1 hearings on 12 December 2018.

Sir Martin noted that he would like to start the Phase 2 hearings as soon as possible, but that there is significant preparatory work to do.

A copy of the Chair's statement can be found in full on the Inquiry website

https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/sites/default/files/inline-files/Chairman%20Statement%20121218.pdf

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Honourable Members will be aware of the on-going Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the harrowing accounts from all those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. I want to provide the House with an update on the Government’s on-going work in response to the tragedy.

Recovery

Government has committed over £80 million to support the bereaved, survivors and the community following the Grenfell Tower fire. This includes rehousing costs, new mental health services, investment in the Lancaster West Estate, and a community space.

NHS England has also announced that it will provide up to £50 million to fund long term mental and physical health checks and treatment for those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.

Grenfell Tower Site

I would like to update the House on progress towards the long term future of the site. The Government has always been committed to working with the community to create a fitting memorial, with the Prime Minister giving her personal commitment that the bereaved, survivors and community will decide what happens to the long term future of the Grenfell Tower site.

As part of this, I made a commitment in August 2018 that the Government would take responsibility for the Grenfell Tower. I would like to update the House on the steps I have taken to put this announcement into effect.

I am pleased to inform the House that the Government will meet the on-going costs of keeping the Tower site safe and secure. This will deliver on my earlier promise to the bereaved, survivors and community that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) will take no role in making decisions regarding the Grenfell Tower site. Once ownership transfers, Government will make operational decisions, such as those on safety, security and access, until the long term future has been determined by the community.

As we work towards responsibility transferring to Government, I want to reassure the House and the community that the independent Site Management team continue to closely monitor and inspect the Tower and are responsible for ensuring that it is safe and secure.

I recognise that sensitive management of the Tower site, working towards a fitting memorial, is of paramount importance to the bereaved, survivors and the local community. The arrangements that I am putting in place will ensure that Grenfell Tower will continue to be managed effectively and sensitively.

In taking responsibility for Grenfell Tower, I will become responsible for decisions about the Tower site. I would, therefore, like to reassure the House and the community about how I intend to approach decision-making: The principles I commit to include that:

most importantly, the community will continue to be engaged at each step along the way to a lasting memorial;

the health and safety of those living, working and at the school in the local area, as well those working on the site, will continue to take priority;

decisions that I take about the Tower site will be evidence based, informed by the advice of public authorities and technical experts; and that,

I will consult the Police and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to ensure that decision-making does not interfere with the path to justice.

The community-led Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission will develop a proposal for what happens to the Grenfell Tower site in the future, and will decide how the memorial site will be owned and managed in the long term. The Minister for Grenfell Victims, the Rt Hon Nick Hurd MP, continues to meet with members of the bereaved, survivors and wider community to discuss the process and the role of community representatives.

Environmental Monitoring

On 26 October 2018 I announced additional environmental checks will be carried out in and around the Grenfell Tower site to reassure the bereaved, survivors and wider community that any environmental risks to public health will be fully assessed and appropriate action taken.

This is an issue that I take very seriously, and my officials have been working closely with RBKC, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency, NHS England and Public Health England to plan further environmental sampling of the site, including comprehensive soil analysis to check for any signs of contamination.

The new soil testing programme will take place alongside existing air quality monitoring which has been in place since the fire. So far, the monitoring has consistently shown the risk to people’s health from air pollution around the Grenfell Tower site to be low. Public Health England will continue to monitor this and publish the results on a weekly basis - alongside an explanation of the data in terms of potential impacts on health, at the following weblink: www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-monitoring-following-the-grenfell-tower-fire.

An expert multi-agency group which includes the Environment Agency, Public Health England, RBKC and NHS England has been set up to make sure soil surveying around Grenfell Tower is comprehensive and that analysis will be provided to the public. The Minister for Grenfell Victims, the Rt Hon Nick Hurd MP recently chaired the first meeting of this group. As a result we have started procuring the relevant expertise and will appoint independent environmental specialists from a network of leading experts. Their work will be overseen by the multi-agency group.

Once selected, the specialists will proactively engage the community on the design and implementation of the testing process. This will take place in the new year.

Both the Government and the NHS share a resolute commitment to support all those affected by the fire. The NHS has run health drop-in events within the local area for those who are concerned about their health.

The Minister for Grenfell Victims, the Rt Hon Nick Hurd MP, and I are also committed to engaging local residents with the investigation process from start to finish and consultation workshops will begin in January, to inform the scope and locations of the main site investigation and sampling.

Rehousing

The Government remains committed to ensuring all survivors are permanently rehoused as quickly as possible.

Since my last update to the House in July, based on data provided by RBKC as of 26 November, 44 more households have moved into permanent accommodation bringing the total to 149; and the number of households living in hotels has reduced by 23 to 15. Out of 203 households, there are currently 26 households living in good quality temporary accommodation, 12 in serviced apartments and 1 staying with family and friends. Every household has had an offer of permanent or temporary accommodation, and 201 households (99%) have accepted an offer. 194 of these households have accepted permanent homes, of which 149 have now moved in.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council continues its efforts to rehouse those who lost their homes in the fire, and improved progress has been made. Whilst I recognise the complexities involved, the overall pace of rehousing has been too slow, and there remains a small number of households in hotels as we approach 18 months after the fire. I expect the Council to do everything possible to speed up the rehousing process and ensure that the remaining survivors are permanently rehoused as quickly as possible.

It is important that the bereaved, survivors and wider community continue to be supported. My department will continue to work closely with RBKC to this end. I would like to express my thanks to all those involved in supporting the survivors throughout this difficult process.

Building Safety

As well as the work set out above that the Government has done with its partners in respect of the recovery, we are determined to learn the lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire and bring about a fundamental change to ensure that residents of high-rise buildings are safe and feel safe. That is why we have set in train a programme of work to deliver that change by addressing the issues raised by Dame Judith Hackitt in her Independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

Ban on the use of combustible materials

We recognised the strength of feeling on combustible cladding and having consulted, announced a clear ban on the use of combustible materials on the external walls of new buildings over 18m containing flats, as well as new hospitals, residential care premises, dormitories in boarding schools and student accommodation over 18m. Today regulations have been laid to give legal effect to the ban. As part of wider work on fire safety across government, I will work with the Education Secretary to join up our reviews of fire safety guidance. I also welcome the Department for Education’s commitment to ensuring schools over 18m built as part of their centrally delivered build programmes will not use combustible materials, in line with the terms of the ban, in the external wall.

Remediation

As of 31 October 2018, 289 private sector high-rise residential buildings have been identified as having unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding. We have made good progress in getting remediation completed (in 19 cases); started (in 21 cases); and with plans in place for 98 buildings. These numbers continue to increase, but we are taking decisive action to deal with the remaining buildings where owners are not fulfilling their responsibility to remediate unsafe ACM cladding. That is why, as part of our strong commitment to ensuring that residents of high rise residential buildings are safe and that they feel safe, I am announcing measures to support local authorities to take action where remediation plans are not clear.

I am laying an addendum to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System operating guidance. This addendum provides specific guidance on the assessment of high-rise residential buildings with unsafe cladding. This will help local authorities to make robust hazard assessments and boost their ability to take decisive enforcement action.

Alongside this the Joint Inspection Team, hosted by the Local Government Association, will provide support to local authorities in their assessments and give them confidence to take enforcement action.

I am also writing to local authorities with buildings where the owner refuses to remediate unsafe ACM cladding, to offer them our full support to take enforcement action. This will include financial support where this is necessary for the local authority to carry out emergency remedial work. Where financial support is provided, local authorities will recover the costs from the building owner.

I am determined that building owners will not evade their responsibilities and that local authorities will have all the support they need to ensure that all high-rise buildings with unsafe ACM cladding are made permanently safe for the people who live in them.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The independent Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry is committed to publishing its costs on a regular basis. Costs for Phase 1 will be published once Phase 1 has completed. The Cabinet Office has not incurred any consultancy spend in relation to the Inquiry.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The independent Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry is committed to publishing its costs on a regular basis. Costs for Phase 1 will be published once Phase 1 has completed. The Cabinet Office has not incurred any consultancy spend in relation to the Inquiry.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister has made clear that survivors, families of victims and local residents affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy will have government funding for legal representation. This was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s notice of determination to the Inquiry, published on 22 August.

The independent Inquiry will publish details of its expenditure, including legal costs, on its website in due course.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

I refer the Honourable Member to PQ143839 answered on 22 May 2018.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

I refer the Honourable Member to the 11 May letter that the Prime Minister wrote to the Inquiry Chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, confirming her decision to appoint additional panel members gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/grenfell-tower-inquiry-update

The Prime Minister will make the appointments in accordance with sections 4,7(1)(b) and 7(2)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005

Answering body: Prime Minister

The fire in Grenfell Tower was an unimaginable tragedy, and I am determined that justice is done for the victims, survivors, bereaved and the wider community.

On 21 December 2017, I wrote to Sir Martin Moore-Bick, chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry with my decision not to appoint additional panel members to the Inquiry at that time. The Inquiries Act 2005 affords me the power to appoint panel members at any time during the Inquiry and I previously indicated my intention to keep the matter under review.

Since December, the Inquiry has made significant progress. It has received some 330,000 documents, and expects that figure to grow to 400,000. Sir Martin’s team have conducted a first stage review of approximately 183,000 documents. The Inquiry has confirmed that it is continuing to identify potentially relevant providers of documents as work progresses.

The process of gathering and identifying relevant documents for phase 2 has started in parallel with the phase 1 disclosure exercise. The Inquiry has confirmed that it is expecting that a “significant volume of documentation will be disclosed at this stage”.

Sir Martin has appointed 547 core participants to the Inquiry – 519 of them individuals from the Grenfell community. This is an unprecedented number.

Given the extent of the tragedy, we should not be surprised by the scale and range of issues that are emerging from the Inquiry’s early work.

Phase 2 of the Inquiry will be the largest phase in terms of the number of issues to be considered, and it is appropriate for me to reflect now on the two distinct phases of the Inquiry’s work and to consider the most appropriate composition of the Inquiry panel for phase 2.

To ensure that the Inquiry panel itself also has the necessary breadth of skills and diversity of expertise relevant to the broad range of issues to be considered in phase 2, and to best serve the increasing scale and complexity of the Inquiry, I have decided to appoint an additional two panel members to support Sir Martin’s chairmanship for phase 2 of the Inquiry’s work onwards. I wrote to Sir Martin yesterday, informing him of my decision.

Once suitable panel members have been identified, I will write to Sir Martin again to seek his consent to any appointment, in accordance with section 7(2)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Speaking at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s procedural hearing on 21 March, the Metropolitan Police Service’s legal representative remarked that the forensic and evidential picture about the cause and spread of the Grenfell Tower fire was not going to be complete until autumn 2018.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Department has regular discussions with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on housing and other support services for those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, including some who do not have settled immigration status. The Government will ensure that, subject to usual checks, all those who are required to either provide evidence in person, or to be in the UK to participate in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry will be allowed to do so.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry is considering a range of issues in relation to the Grenfell Tower fire. It hopes to complete its initial report, focussing on the events of the night of 14 June 2017, in autumn 2018.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Inquiry timetable and the working hours of the team are matters for the Chairman of the independent Inquiry.

At the Inquiry's procedural hearing on 11 and 12 December the Inquiry Counsel gave an update on the work of the Inquiry so far. He confirmed that the Inquiry has to date received 231,000 documents from 33 document providers. They expect to receive a further 40,000 documents. They are reviewing these documents at a rate of 12,000 per week, which the Inquiry expects to rise to 20,000 in January as the reviewing team expands. They have received 554 applications for core participant (CP) status, of which it has granted 424.

The Inquiry also confirmed that it was their aim to complete its report on phase 1 of its work by autumn 2018. A more detailed timetable of the Inquiry's work would be published in January 2018, with a further procedural hearing at the end of January.

Transcripts and videos of each hearing are available on the Inquiry's website at https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Inquiry timetable and the working hours of the team are matters for the Chairman of the independent Inquiry.

At the Inquiry's procedural hearing on 11 and 12 December the Inquiry Counsel gave an update on the work of the Inquiry so far. He confirmed that the Inquiry has to date received 231,000 documents from 33 document providers. They expect to receive a further 40,000 documents. They are reviewing these documents at a rate of 12,000 per week, which the Inquiry expects to rise to 20,000 in January as the reviewing team expands. They have received 554 applications for core participant (CP) status, of which it has granted 424.

The Inquiry also confirmed that it was their aim to complete its report on phase 1 of its work by autumn 2018. A more detailed timetable of the Inquiry's work would be published in January 2018, with a further procedural hearing at the end of January.

Transcripts and videos of each hearing are available on the Inquiry's website at https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/

Answering body: Cabinet Office

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the Prime Minister’s Written Statement of 14 September. Information about internal discussion and advice is not normally disclosed.

Answering body: Department for Communities and Local Government

The Family and Friends Assistance Centre is a centre for bereaved families providing them with access to professional support from a multi-disciplinary team and space to spend time together. The centre has been operational since the immediate days following the fire, overseen initially by the Grenfell Response Team and then the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council. Confidential rooms provide a comfortable environment with staff on hand to provide support and advice.

The Centre recently moved to new long-term premises and services include emotional support and counselling; NHS Post Traumatic Stress Disorder support; financial advice by the Red Cross and support from specialist keyworkers, Family Liaison Officers and Victim Support. The Senior Investigatory Officer from the Metropolitan Police Service also attends the Centre to provide a link to the ongoing police investigation.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry will be engaging with bereaved families at the Centre, explaining processes and answering queries.

At the Autumn Budget the Government announced £28 Million to enable the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council to support the victims and communities. This includes £3 million towards the operating costs of the Friends and Family Assistance Centre for the next three years

Answering body: Cabinet Office

Funding for legal representation for those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire is a matter for the independent Grenfell Tower Inquiry, to be decided in line with the Inquiries Act 2005, the Inquiry Rules 2006, the Inquiry’s costs protocol (‘Protocol Relating to Legal Representation at Public Expense’) and the Prime Minister’s determination on funding.

Paragraph 6 of the Inquiry’s costs protocol confirms that the Prime Minister has determined that the survivors and their families, the bereaved families and local residents affected by the tragic events at Grenfell Tower will automatically meet the requirements of the Inquiry Rules in respect of financial resources. A copy of the protocol can be found on the Inquiry’s website.

The Inquiry will publish details of its expenditure after the end of the financial year.

Answering body: Department for Communities and Local Government

According to the Metropolitan Police, a Hotpoint fridge freezer has been identified as the initial source of the Grenfell Tower fire. Advice for members of the public who are concerned about risk from their fridge freezer is available on the Government’s Product Recall website:

https://productrecall.campaign.gov.uk

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry, set up by the Prime Minister, is examining the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017. Sir Martin Moore Bick, the Chairman of the independent inquiry, hopes to provide the Prime Minister with a first report by early April next year. This report will include the development of the fire; where and how it started, how it spread and the chain of events before it was extinguished.

Answering body: Department for Communities and Local Government

As the Secretary of State announced at the National Housing Federation Conference on 19 September, we will bring forward a Green Paper on social housing in England.

The Green Paper will be a wide-ranging review of the issues facing the sector and the most substantial report of its kind for a generation.

The Housing Minister’s engagement with social housing tenants over the coming months will feed into the scope and content of the Green Paper.

Answering body: Prime Minister

On 15 August 2017, I announced the formal setting up of a public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire, to be chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, and its terms of reference. This followed Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s letter to me of 10 August, which advised me of the outcome of the public consultation on the scope of the terms of reference, and his recommendations. I was happy to accept Sir Martin’s recommendations without amendment.

The Inquiry’s full terms of reference are:

(i) to examine the circumstances surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, including

(a) the immediate cause or causes of the fire and the means by which it spread to the whole of the building;

(b) the design and construction of the building and the decisions relating to its modification, refurbishment and management;

(c) the scope and adequacy of building regulations, fire regulations and other legislation, guidance and industry practice relating to the design, construction, equipping and management of high-rise residential buildings;

(d) whether such regulations, legislation, guidance and industry practice were complied with in the case of Grenfell Tower and the fire safety measures adopted in relation to it;

(e) the arrangements made by the local authority or other responsible bodies for receiving and acting upon information either obtained from local residents or available from other sources (including information derived from fires in other buildings) relating to the risk of fire at Grenfell Tower, and the action taken in response to such information;

(f) the fire prevention and fire safety measures in place at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017;

(g) the response of the London Fire Brigade to the fire; and

(h) the response of central and local government in the days immediately following the fire;

and

(ii) to report its findings to the Prime Minister as soon as possible and to make recommendations.

Sir Martin has said that he is considering appointing assessors to assist him in his task. He considers it likely that he shall wish to appoint a diverse group of people whose experience extends to the occupation and management of social housing and the administration of local government more generally, as well as to matters of a more technical scientific nature. He also states that at a later stage, he may also wish to appoint others to assist on particular aspects of the investigation. He will make his decisions public in due course. I have not appointed any other members to the Inquiry Panel at this stage. However, the Inquiries Act 2005 allows for appointments to be made, with the consent of Sir Martin, during the course of the Inquiry. This enables the composition of the Inquiry Panel to be kept under review.

My exchange of correspondence with Sir Martin is in the Library of the House.

Sir Martin is holding a preliminary hearing later today where he will set out further detail on how he intends on conducting the Inquiry.

In addition to the work of the Inquiry, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has already announced an Independent Review into Building Regulations and Fire Safety, led by Dame Judith Hackitt. This will urgently assess the effectiveness of current building and fire safety regulations and related compliance and enforcement issues, with a focus on multi occupancy high rise residential buildings. The Review will co-operate fully with the Inquiry. Sir Martin has set out his reasons for not looking into the broader social housing issues but, as he said in his letter, they should not be ignored and I am determined that these important questions are not left unanswered. As a first step, I have asked my Hon. Friend the Housing Minister (Alok Sharma) to personally meet and hear from as many social tenants as possible, as well as other residents of social housing estates, both in the immediate area around Grenfell Tower and across the country. The Housing Minister has already met a number of representative groups and will continue meet tenants during October and November.

Answering body: Department for Communities and Local Government

I have met with representatives of national tenant organisations to seek their views on this process and a programme of events is currently been drawn up so I can personally meet and hear from as many social tenants both in the immediate area around Grenfell Tower but also across the country.