Parliamentary activity

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

As announced by the Prime Minister on 15 August, it is incredibly important that we look into the wider questions raised by the Grenfell Tower fire – including around social housing – and how best to address these issues.

In taking this forward, it is also important that we engage directly with social tenants to help build up a comprehensive picture of some of the immediate issues they are facing, as well as to identify any common concerns that must inform any national approach.

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 for me to personally meet and hear from as many social tenants both in the immediate area around Grenfell Tower, but also across the country. There will be further announcements on this work shortly as arrangements are finalised.