Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Noble Friend the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Resilience (Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE) has today made the following statement:

The Grenfell Tower fire was a preventable tragedy that claimed 72 lives and exposed deep-rooted weaknesses in the systems designed to keep people safe. It remains a profound failure of oversight and accountability which should never have happened and the bereaved, survivors and local community remain at the heart of our response.

This government accepted the Inquiry’s findings and is today publishing the September 2026 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report to update on work underway to implement the recommendations. Since May 2026, we have completed a further 9 recommendations, bringing the total of closed recommendations to 30 since February 2025. We remain on track to deliver all recommendations by the end of 2029.

Alongside the September progress report, we are publishing the Interim Chief Construction Adviser’s final report.

Together, the progress report and the Interim Chief Construction Adviser’s final report demonstrate continued progress in implementing the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations and reforming the wider building safety system. They represent important steps towards sustained system-wide change by reducing fragmentation, strengthening accountability and ensuring that those responsible for building and fire safety have the support and oversight needed to keep people safe in their homes.

The government recognises that lasting change requires sustained transparency and oversight. We have delivered the Inquiry’s recommendation on transparency through our new dashboards which publicly track progress to deliver accepted recommendations across inquiries, alongside our regular progress reports on Grenfell implementation. Parliament also has an important role to play in overseeing how government implements recommendations and I await the outcome of PACAC's work in early 2027.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Grenfell Tower fire was a preventable tragedy that claimed 72 lives and exposed deep-rooted weaknesses in the systems designed to keep people safe. It remains a profound failure of oversight and accountability which should never have happened and the bereaved, survivors and local community remain at the heart of our response.

This government accepted the Inquiry’s findings and is today publishing the September 2026 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report to update on work underway to implement the recommendations. Since May 2026, we have completed a further 9 recommendations, bringing the total of closed recommendations to 30 since February 2025. We remain on track to deliver all recommendations by the end of 2029.

Alongside the September progress report, we are publishing the Interim Chief Construction Adviser’s final report.

Together, the progress report and the Interim Chief Construction Adviser’s final report demonstrate continued progress in implementing the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations and reforming the wider building safety system. They represent important steps towards sustained system-wide change by reducing fragmentation, strengthening accountability and ensuring that those responsible for building and fire safety have the support and oversight needed to keep people safe in their homes.

The government recognises that lasting change requires sustained transparency and oversight. We have delivered the Inquiry’s recommendation on transparency through our new dashboards which publicly track progress to deliver accepted recommendations across inquiries, alongside our regular progress reports on Grenfell implementation. Parliament also has an important role to play in overseeing how government implements recommendations and I await the outcome of PACAC's work in early 2027.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Government remains committed to holding organisations to account for the failings identified by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Officials across Government continue to consider what further commercial measures may be appropriate while safeguarding the integrity of the criminal investigation. MHCLG does not enter into direct contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Government is committed to taking clear and proportionate action in response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s findings.

The Public Engagement Policy and which companies it applies to is published on GOV.UK. Ministers and senior civil servants will decide how and when they engage with external bodies bearing in mind the principles of accountability, transparency and the balance of public interest.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Since 2023, dutyholders, including clients, principal contractors and principal designers, are regulated through the building control process. Prosecutions may be brought for breaches of the building regulations under Section 35 of the Building Act 1984 where appropriate. The government has also accepted a recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report to introduce principal contractor licensing, to ensure principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings are appropriately competent. We are progressing work to develop this recommendation, which includes a review of the dutyholder regime and whether it is working as intended. This will inform the design of an effective licensing scheme. We expect to publish the findings from the review in late 2026.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

We recognise concerns about building safety costs and are clear that costs should be fair, transparent and represent value for money.

Protections are in place to limit the costs of remediating historical building safety defects. Cladding remediation costs are met by Government funding programmes or developers, while further protections, including the Developer Remediation Contract, contribution caps for certain leaseholders, and Remediation Contribution Orders, help ensure leaseholders are protected from remediation costs.

Building owners and accountable persons are responsible for managing building safety risks, demonstrating to the Regulator how risks are being managed, and taking steps to minimise unnecessary compliance costs.

We remain committed to reviewing how leaseholders can be better protected from costs.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

We recognise concerns about building safety costs and are clear that costs should be fair, transparent and represent value for money.

Protections are in place to limit the costs of remediating historical building safety defects. Cladding remediation costs are met by Government funding programmes or developers, while further protections, including the Developer Remediation Contract, contribution caps for certain leaseholders, and Remediation Contribution Orders, help ensure leaseholders are protected from remediation costs.

Building owners and accountable persons are responsible for managing building safety risks, demonstrating to the Regulator how risks are being managed, and taking steps to minimise unnecessary compliance costs.

We remain committed to reviewing how leaseholders can be better protected from costs.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Honourable Friend the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy (Samantha Dixon MBE MP) has today made the following statement:

The Grenfell Tower tragedy exposed deep-rooted weaknesses in the systems designed to keep people safe. The preventable loss of 72 lives remains a profound failure of oversight and accountability which should never have occurred. The bereaved, survivors and local community continue to remind us of the human cost of those failures and of the importance of lasting reform.

This government accepted the Inquiry’s findings and is today publishing the May 2026 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Progress Report, setting out the action taken and the further work underway to deliver a more robust, coherent and accountable building safety system. Since February 2026, we have completed a further nine recommendations, bringing the total of closed recommendations to 21 since February 2025. We remain on track to deliver all recommendations by the end of 2029.

Alongside the May progress update, we are publishing;

A call for evidence on the building professions, trades and occupations

The College of Fire and Rescue Consultation

The Building Control Independent Panel report and government response

The Public Engagement Policy

An Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) research paper

The publications alongside this progress report illustrate the continued progress being made towards implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations and wider reforms of social housing and the construction sector. While not all these documents in themselves close a recommendation, they represent important steps in the work needed to do so, and form the foundations to support sustained, system-wide change. They seek to address fragmentation and ensure that those responsible for building and fire safety have the support they need to keep the public safe in their homes.

The government will also bring forward a Remediation Bill, which will drive forward the remediation of unsafe cladding by giving regulators the powers they need to compel the worst blockers to take action, and make those responsible pay towards the cost of fixing the problem they caused.

Call for Evidence on the Building Professions, Trades and Occupations

Following on from publication of the Single Construction Regulator prospectus in December 2025, we have today launched a call for evidence on the built environment professions, trades and occupations. This goes beyond the specific recommendations in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry for fire engineers, fire risk assessors, principal contractors and architects to tackle the underlying findings of the Inquiry. This concluded that the skills, knowledge and experience of all those engaged in the construction industry are critical to making sure our buildings and environments are safe, high quality and high performing.

This call for evidence seeks information about current barriers, opportunities and interdependencies shaping how people work and behave during all stages of the building process. The outcomes of this exercise will help to set the shape and scope of the new overarching strategy for the professions, trades and occupations which will be published in 2027. This will set out a long-term plan for regulatory and non-regulatory reform across government and the sector, in addition to the delivery of the specific recommendations around professions.

The call for evidence will run for 12 weeks until 12 August 2026.

Building Control Independent Panel Report and Government Response

The government has today published the final report of the Building Control Independent Panel, alongside our response. The Panel was established, under the chairship of Dame Judith Hackitt, following a recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 to consider whether building control functions should be performed by those who have a commercial interest in the process; and whether all building control functions should be performed by a national authority.

We welcome the Panel’s clear assessment of longstanding challenges in the system, despite the professionalism and commitment of many of those working within it. The report sets out principles for reform, alongside recommendations for action in the near term and options for longer-term reform.

The government agrees with the Panel’s assessment and accepts the direction of travel it has set out. Our response makes clear that building control must be properly supported as part of a well-functioning wider building safety system, building on reforms already delivered since the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

We will now take forward detailed work on the Panel’s recommendations at pace, including how reform can be taken forward in a way that strengthens public safety, supports the profession and maintains confidence across the sector. We will set out further detail as this work develops.

College of Fire and Rescue Consultation

We are today publishing a public consultation on the establishment of a new College of Fire and Rescue. This consultation seeks views on the role, design and delivery of a new centre of excellence to support the capability, professionalism and resilience of the fire and rescue sector.

The consultation marks an important step in delivering the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The Inquiry identified serious and systemic weaknesses across the fire and rescue sector, including inconsistent professional standards, variation in training and leadership, and fragmented responsibilities. As the cornerstone of our reform programme, the college will address these challenges and build on the recommendations from the phase 1 report by collecting and curating operational learning and providing a trusted national voice on risk and fire behaviour. The college will therefore play a critical role in raising professional standards and improving outcomes for the fire and rescue workforce.

The consultation sets out proposals for the college’s strategic purpose and the functions it could fulfil, including, but not limited to, leadership and command, recruitment and training, and culture and integrity. It also seeks views on how the college could operate in practice.

This consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on the 15th July, and we strongly encourage responses from the public, the fire and rescue sector, other blue light services and any other respondents with an interest in this work. The consultation will be available on gov.uk and will be laid in both Houses.

Public Engagement Policy

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry details significant widespread failings that led to the Grenfell Tower Tragedy. Of these failings, and the many individuals and organisations named, seven firms were most significantly criticised for their actions. Sir Michael Moore-Bick found that some of these organisations acted with “systematic dishonesty” and “engaged in deliberate, sustained strategies to mislead the market.” The Inquiry found that materials were used on Grenfell Tower that firms knew were not fit for purpose, and that safety was deprioritised behind ease and economic gain.

In response to these findings, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has implemented a policy to advise ministers and senior officials not to share a public platform with any of these firms. The principles of this approach have since been shared across government.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Grenfell Tower tragedy exposed deep-rooted weaknesses in the systems designed to keep people safe. The preventable loss of 72 lives remains a profound failure of oversight and accountability which should never have occurred. The bereaved, survivors and local community continue to remind us of the human cost of those failures and of the importance of lasting reform.

This government accepted the Inquiry’s findings and is today publishing the May 2026 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Progress Report, setting out the action taken and the further work underway to deliver a more robust, coherent and accountable building safety system. Since February 2026, we have completed a further nine recommendations, bringing the total of closed recommendations to 21 since February 2025. We remain on track to deliver all recommendations by the end of 2029.

Alongside the May progress update, we are publishing;

A call for evidence on the building professions, trades and occupations

The College of Fire and Rescue Consultation

The Building Control Independent Panel report and government response

The Public Engagement Policy

An Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) research paper

The publications alongside this progress report illustrate the continued progress being made towards implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations and wider reforms of social housing and the construction sector. While not all these documents in themselves close a recommendation, they represent important steps in the work needed to do so, and form the foundations to support sustained, system-wide change. They seek to address fragmentation and ensure that those responsible for building and fire safety have the support they need to keep the public safe in their homes.

The government will also bring forward a Remediation Bill, which will drive forward the remediation of unsafe cladding by giving regulators the powers they need to compel the worst blockers to take action, and make those responsible pay towards the cost of fixing the problem they caused.

Call for Evidence on the Building Professions, Trades and Occupations

Following on from publication of the Single Construction Regulator prospectus in December 2025, we have today launched a call for evidence on the built environment professions, trades and occupations. This goes beyond the specific recommendations in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry for fire engineers, fire risk assessors, principal contractors and architects to tackle the underlying findings of the Inquiry. This concluded that the skills, knowledge and experience of all those engaged in the construction industry are critical to making sure our buildings and environments are safe, high quality and high performing.

This call for evidence seeks information about current barriers, opportunities and interdependencies shaping how people work and behave during all stages of the building process. The outcomes of this exercise will help to set the shape and scope of the new overarching strategy for the professions, trades and occupations which will be published in 2027. This will set out a long-term plan for regulatory and non-regulatory reform across government and the sector, in addition to the delivery of the specific recommendations around professions.

The call for evidence will run for 12 weeks until 12 August 2026.

Building Control Independent Panel Report and Government Response

The government has today published the final report of the Building Control Independent Panel, alongside our response. The Panel was established, under the chairship of Dame Judith Hackitt, following a recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 to consider whether building control functions should be performed by those who have a commercial interest in the process; and whether all building control functions should be performed by a national authority.

We welcome the Panel’s clear assessment of longstanding challenges in the system, despite the professionalism and commitment of many of those working within it. The report sets out principles for reform, alongside recommendations for action in the near term and options for longer-term reform.

The government agrees with the Panel’s assessment and accepts the direction of travel it has set out. Our response makes clear that building control must be properly supported as part of a well-functioning wider building safety system, building on reforms already delivered since the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

We will now take forward detailed work on the Panel’s recommendations at pace, including how reform can be taken forward in a way that strengthens public safety, supports the profession and maintains confidence across the sector. We will set out further detail as this work develops.

College of Fire and Rescue Consultation

We are today publishing a public consultation on the establishment of a new College of Fire and Rescue. This consultation seeks views on the role, design and delivery of a new centre of excellence to support the capability, professionalism and resilience of the fire and rescue sector.

The consultation marks an important step in delivering the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The Inquiry identified serious and systemic weaknesses across the fire and rescue sector, including inconsistent professional standards, variation in training and leadership, and fragmented responsibilities. As the cornerstone of our reform programme, the college will address these challenges and build on the recommendations from the phase 1 report by collecting and curating operational learning and providing a trusted national voice on risk and fire behaviour. The college will therefore play a critical role in raising professional standards and improving outcomes for the fire and rescue workforce.

The consultation sets out proposals for the college’s strategic purpose and the functions it could fulfil, including, but not limited to, leadership and command, recruitment and training, and culture and integrity. It also seeks views on how the college could operate in practice.

This consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on the 15th July, and we strongly encourage responses from the public, the fire and rescue sector, other blue light services and any other respondents with an interest in this work. The consultation will be available on gov.uk and will be laid in both Houses.

Public Engagement Policy

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry details significant widespread failings that led to the Grenfell Tower Tragedy. Of these failings, and the many individuals and organisations named, seven firms were most significantly criticised for their actions. Sir Michael Moore-Bick found that some of these organisations acted with “systematic dishonesty” and “engaged in deliberate, sustained strategies to mislead the market.” The Inquiry found that materials were used on Grenfell Tower that firms knew were not fit for purpose, and that safety was deprioritised behind ease and economic gain.

In response to these findings, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has implemented a policy to advise ministers and senior officials not to share a public platform with any of these firms. The principles of this approach have since been shared across government.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Government recognises the importance of research and innovation in supporting effective fire and rescue services.

The Government accepted the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendation to establish a College of Fire and Rescue. The Inquiry envisaged that the College could provide national training and education, undertake research, support the development of equipment, policies and procedures, and set and maintain standards of managerial competence.

Work is under way to develop proposals for the College and Ministers have engaged sector stakeholders, including through the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR) established in December 2024, as part of its commitment to work formally with all stakeholders across the fire and rescue sector to inform policy. The consultation on a College of Fire and Rescue launched on 20 May and seeks views on the College’s aims, functions and delivery model, including a research function.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

MHCLG ministers and officials have engaged with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) as part of fire and rescue reform work, including on the future approach to national standards.

In England, national professional standards are currently developed and maintained by the Fire Standards Board (FSB), which has published 19 non‑statutory standards covering topics relating to operational management, leadership and ethics.

The Government is taking forward work to establish a College of Fire and Rescue, as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. We published a consultation on the scope and design of the College of Fire and Rescue on 20 May 2026 . As part of this consultation, we are seeking views on what an effective national standards function could look like, building on the FSB’s work.

The FBU is a crucial stakeholder and a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR), which the Government established in December 2024 as part of its commitment to work formally with all stakeholders across the fire and rescue sector to inform policy.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Honourable Friend the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy (Samantha Dixon MBE MP) has today made the following statement:

An effective and efficient building control system underpins the fundamental safety of homes and communities across the country, built on the expertise of skilled professionals. Today I announce further steps the Department is taking to make sure this system is working effectively and supporting our ambitious remediation and housebuilding targets.

This will restore confidence in the work done to ensure safety in the building sector and boost the housing supply and the improved operation of the Building Safety Regulator’s Gateway regime.

Today, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is launching a consultation on improving proportionality and safety outcomes in the higher-risk building (HRB) control regime. This consultation is seeking views on how building work in existing higher-risk buildings is categorised, to make sure the application requirements reflect the scale and complexity of the work. We are committed to making sure the higher-risk regime is applied in a proportionate way without compromising on safety. It must strike the right balance between robust oversight of safety critical works and enabling safer building works to proceed efficiently and without undue delays.

Alongside this, MHCLG is announcing a £70m Building Professional Workforce Programme to address shortages of capacity and capability in two safety-critical areas of the built environment: £55m for building control and £15m for the fire engineering profession. These professions play a key role in making sure building work is delivered in accordance with the Building Regulations and that engineering solutions protect people and mitigate harm to the built environment in the event of fire.

Our funding will enable the recruitment and training of up to 700 new building inspectors to increase overall capacity, the training of more building inspectors to Class 3 to enable them to work on HRBs, and the expansion of masters level education for fire engineers. This takes forward the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, in line with our recently published next steps on fire engineering profession reform.

These announcements form part of a wider programme to keep people safe in the buildings where they live, work, and visit. As part of this, a consultation was launched today for fire risk assessors. A separate statement has been laid providing further detail on these proposals.

Our priority remains, as it must, in ensuring the collective safety of residents in buildings across the country, while speeding up progress on crucial building work, such as cladding remediation and delivering the new homes this country urgently needs.

The consultation on proposed changes to HRB categorisation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proportionality-in-building-control-categorisation-of-higher-risk-building-work

We will announce further details on availability of the Building Profession Workforce Programme funding in due course.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Honourable Friend the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy (Samantha Dixon MBE MP) has today made the following statement:

Today, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a public consultation on proposals to establish a fire risk assessor (FRA) profession with consistently high levels of competency, where trust is rebuilt, and where a strong, diverse pipeline of talent ensures improved standards of fire safety.

Context

Fire risk assessments are a fundamental part of the fire safety regime established under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This legislation requires Responsible Persons (RPs) to make a suitable and sufficient assessment to help make sure hazards are identified and the right fire precautions are delivered to keep people safe in the buildings where they live, work, and visit.

RPs can currently undertake this assessment themselves, or appoint someone, commonly known as an FRA, to assist them. Competent and professional FRAs therefore play a critical role in keeping people safe.

Despite this vital life-safety role, FRAs are not currently recognised as a regulated profession. There is no single professional body, no agreed definition of the role, no defined career pathway, and no specified training or qualifications.

While many FRAs are highly competent, we want to see an FRA profession with consistently high and demonstrable standards of competency across the board. Further, we want these proposals to rebuild trust in the FRA profession so that those who rely on their expertise, whether occupying, buying or selling, can feel confident in the fire safety of their homes or other premises.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry (‘the Inquiry’) Phase 2 report identified serious shortcomings in the fire risk assessments produced by the FRA for Grenfell Tower, including failures to identify critical fire safety hazards and to verify that previously identified risks had been addressed. In response to Recommendation 26 in the Inquiry’s Phase 2 report, government committed to introduce mandatory certification for FRAs.

Consultation

The consultation we have launched today is an important step in delivering Recommendation 26 of the Inquiry’s Phase 2 report and fulfilling our commitment to introduce mandatory certification for FRAs.

We have engaged stakeholders across government, the devolved governments, and industry to secure their initial contributions to our plans and help shape the future of a profession that can consistently deliver its vital fire safety role.

The consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fire-risk-assessors-profession and will remain open for 12 weeks until 18 June 2026. We encourage as many responses as possible, to make sure future measures strengthen confidence in the FRA regime and so that those undertaking this critical work are appropriately competent, supported, and accountable. Following the consultation, government will carefully consider the responses received and set out next steps in due course.

This work forms part of a wider programme to implement Inquiry recommendations and improve fire and building safety, including proposals for the establishment of the Single Construction Regulator, recent publications on the fire engineering profession and ongoing work to develop a new strategy for the built environment professions.

Further, a consultation was launched today on improving proportionality and safety outcomes in the higher-risk building (HRB) control regime which can be found here: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/higher-risk-buildings/redefining-category-a-building-work-consultation

This is launched alongside the announcement of a £70m Building Professional Workforce Programme to address shortages of capacity and capability in two safety-critical professions: building control and fire engineering. The funding for fire engineering will contribute to our response to the Inquiry recommendations on increasing education for fire engineers.

A separate statement has been laid providing further detail on these announcements.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

An effective and efficient building control system underpins the fundamental safety of homes and communities across the country, built on the expertise of skilled professionals. Today I announce further steps the Department is taking to make sure this system is working effectively and supporting our ambitious remediation and housebuilding targets.

This will restore confidence in the work done to ensure safety in the building sector and boost the housing supply and the improved operation of the Building Safety Regulator’s Gateway regime.

Today, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is launching a consultation on improving proportionality and safety outcomes in the higher-risk building (HRB) control regime. This consultation is seeking views on how building work in existing higher-risk buildings is categorised, to make sure the application requirements reflect the scale and complexity of the work. We are committed to making sure the higher-risk regime is applied in a proportionate way without compromising on safety. It must strike the right balance between robust oversight of safety critical works and enabling safer building works to proceed efficiently and without undue delays.

Alongside this, MHCLG is announcing a £70m Building Professional Workforce Programme to address shortages of capacity and capability in two safety-critical areas of the built environment: £55m for building control and £15m for the fire engineering profession. These professions play a key role in making sure building work is delivered in accordance with the Building Regulations and that engineering solutions protect people and mitigate harm to the built environment in the event of fire.

Our funding will enable the recruitment and training of up to 700 new building inspectors to increase overall capacity, the training of more building inspectors to Class 3 to enable them to work on HRBs, and the expansion of masters level education for fire engineers. This takes forward the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, in line with our recently published next steps on fire engineering profession reform.

These announcements form part of a wider programme to keep people safe in the buildings where they live, work, and visit. As part of this, a consultation was launched today for fire risk assessors. A separate statement has been laid providing further detail on these proposals.

Our priority remains, as it must, in ensuring the collective safety of residents in buildings across the country, while speeding up progress on crucial building work, such as cladding remediation and delivering the new homes this country urgently needs.

The consultation on proposed changes to HRB categorisation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proportionality-in-building-control-categorisation-of-higher-risk-building-work

We will announce further details on availability of the Building Profession Workforce Programme funding in due course.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Today, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a public consultation on proposals to establish a fire risk assessor (FRA) profession with consistently high levels of competency, where trust is rebuilt, and where a strong, diverse pipeline of talent ensures improved standards of fire safety.

Context

Fire risk assessments are a fundamental part of the fire safety regime established under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This legislation requires Responsible Persons (RPs) to make a suitable and sufficient assessment to help make sure hazards are identified and the right fire precautions are delivered to keep people safe in the buildings where they live, work, and visit.

RPs can currently undertake this assessment themselves, or appoint someone, commonly known as an FRA, to assist them. Competent and professional FRAs therefore play a critical role in keeping people safe.

Despite this vital life-safety role, FRAs are not currently recognised as a regulated profession. There is no single professional body, no agreed definition of the role, no defined career pathway, and no specified training or qualifications.

While many FRAs are highly competent, we want to see an FRA profession with consistently high and demonstrable standards of competency across the board. Further, we want these proposals to rebuild trust in the FRA profession so that those who rely on their expertise, whether occupying, buying or selling, can feel confident in the fire safety of their homes or other premises.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry (‘the Inquiry’) Phase 2 report identified serious shortcomings in the fire risk assessments produced by the FRA for Grenfell Tower, including failures to identify critical fire safety hazards and to verify that previously identified risks had been addressed. In response to Recommendation 26 in the Inquiry’s Phase 2 report, government committed to introduce mandatory certification for FRAs.

Consultation

The consultation we have launched today is an important step in delivering Recommendation 26 of the Inquiry’s Phase 2 report and fulfilling our commitment to introduce mandatory certification for FRAs.

We have engaged stakeholders across government, the devolved governments, and industry to secure their initial contributions to our plans and help shape the future of a profession that can consistently deliver its vital fire safety role.

The consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fire-risk-assessors-profession and will remain open for 12 weeks until 18 June 2026. We encourage as many responses as possible, to make sure future measures strengthen confidence in the FRA regime and so that those undertaking this critical work are appropriately competent, supported, and accountable. Following the consultation, government will carefully consider the responses received and set out next steps in due course.

This work forms part of a wider programme to implement Inquiry recommendations and improve fire and building safety, including proposals for the establishment of the Single Construction Regulator, recent publications on the fire engineering profession and ongoing work to develop a new strategy for the built environment professions.

Further, a consultation was launched today on improving proportionality and safety outcomes in the higher-risk building (HRB) control regime which can be found here: https://consult.communities.gov.uk/higher-risk-buildings/redefining-category-a-building-work-consultation

This is launched alongside the announcement of a £70m Building Professional Workforce Programme to address shortages of capacity and capability in two safety-critical professions: building control and fire engineering. The funding for fire engineering will contribute to our response to the Inquiry recommendations on increasing education for fire engineers.

A separate statement has been laid providing further detail on these announcements.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Honourable Friend the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy (Samantha Dixon MBE MP) has today made the following statement:

The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 was a national tragedy that highlighted profound failures across systems, safeguards and oversight and led to the avoidable deaths of 72 innocent people.

Eight years on, the bereaved, survivors, and immediate community continue to campaign for justice, truth and accountability. We are committed to delivering the substantial reforms needed to make sure that such a tragedy never happens again.

In February, the Government accepted all the Inquiry’s findings and is taking action on all 58 Phase 2 recommendations to build a more robust and trusted regulatory system and deliver safe, quality homes for everyone.

Today, my department has published our third Progress Report. Alongside this update, we have published a prospectus and consultation on creating a Single Construction Regulator; the Fire Engineers Authoritative Statement and Next Steps Document; and results of the Building Safety Regulator’s initial review of the definition of higher-risk buildings and plans for an ongoing review.

These are significant steps to deliver the reforms we committed to in the Government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry to tackle fragmentation and complexity in the regulatory system and to ensure those responsible for building and fire safety are competent.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report

This progress clearly demonstrates the Government’s determination to act decisively to deliver meaningful reform of the built environment. Since the progress report in September, we have completed a further five recommendations related to the construction industry, fire and rescue services and protecting vulnerable people.

Single Construction Regulator Prospectus: Consultation Document

The first recommendation from the Inquiry’s Phase 2 report was for Government to introduce a single construction regulator to tackle complexity and fragmentation in how the industry is regulated. In our response to the Inquiry, we committed to consulting on our next steps this year. Today we have published the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus: Consultation Document. This is a significant milestone in delivering this recommendation.

The prospectus lays out Government’s vision for a better regulatory system. We will tackle fragmentation by integrating the regulation of buildings, construction products, and professionals so they work as an effective system. At the heart of the system will be a single construction regulator who will consolidate the delivery of regulatory functions. The prospectus also sets out next steps for this Government’s wider programme of regulatory reform, including reforms to the Construction Products regime, to be set out in a White Paper by spring 2026, and a new overarching strategy for the built environment professions that goes beyond the areas highlighted by the Inquiry, to be published in spring 2027. The purpose of this reform is a more effective regulatory system, which means better outcomes for residents and building users; clarity and certainty for industry and investors; and a fairer system, that benefits those who prioritise safety and quality and sets clear accountabilities for all actors with a stake in the built environment.

Progress towards the Single Construction Regulator has begun through significant reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). In June, MHCLG announced a new phase for the BSR, including strengthened leadership and steps to address operational challenges. Work is now underway to establish the BSR as a new arm’s length body sponsored by MHCLG. The new body and dedicated leadership will provide a singular focus for this complex area of regulation, clearer lines of accountability to Ministers and Parliament, and greater operational flexibility while retaining its regulatory independence. Further reform, including integrating additional responsibilities, will be managed through a carefully phased approach, to ensure the current regulatory regime is not destabilised and to set the future regulator up for success.

The prospectus and consultation can be found on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/single-construction-regulator-prospectus. The consultation will run until 20 March 2026, inviting views on the proposals. We encourage as many responses as possible, to shape the future direction of the regulator and wider building system and make sure these reforms lead to real change for residents and building users.

Fire Engineers Authoritative Statement and Next Steps Document

The Fire Engineers Advisory Panel, established in April, brings together leading experts to strengthen the Government’s response to the Inquiry’s recommendations concerning fire engineers. In September, we committed to publishing an authoritative statement (recommendation 17) on the knowledge and skills to be expected of a competent fire engineer.

Today we have published the Fire Engineers Authoritative Statement, alongside a Next Steps document. This paper will set out MHCLG’s approach to recommendations 15, 16 and 18. Together, these publications provide clarity for the sector and signal the start of wider reforms to make sure the fire engineering profession is fit for the future.

Higher-Risk Buildings review publication

Today we have published the results of the Buildings Safety Regulator’s initial review of the definition of higher-risk buildings as well as the Regulator’s plans for an ongoing review.

The initial review found that the current definition appropriately reflects the available evidence on risks to individuals from the spread of fire and structural failure. Although no changes are to be made to regime scope at the present time, the ongoing review will ensure the data and evidence is regularly assessed to determine whether the categories of building subject to the higher-risk regime should be amended in any way. The presence of vulnerable individuals within designated building types will remain central to any assessment of risk.

Approved Document B Consultation

We will shortly launch a public consultation on proposed updates to Approved Document B, the statutory fire safety guidance within the Building Regulations. The consultation will seek views on targeted clarifications and technical changes, including new provisions for evacuation lifts in residential buildings above 18 metres, alongside measures to improve clarity and strengthen confidence in the guidance. These updates will be an important step in supporting inclusive design, safe evacuation strategies, and maintaining robust fire safety standards across the built environment.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 was a national tragedy that highlighted profound failures across systems, safeguards and oversight and led to the avoidable deaths of 72 innocent people.

Eight years on, the bereaved, survivors, and immediate community continue to campaign for justice, truth and accountability. We are committed to delivering the substantial reforms needed to make sure that such a tragedy never happens again.

In February, the Government accepted all the Inquiry’s findings and is taking action on all 58 Phase 2 recommendations to build a more robust and trusted regulatory system and deliver safe, quality homes for everyone.

Today, my department has published our third Progress Report. Alongside this update, we have published a prospectus and consultation on creating a Single Construction Regulator; the Fire Engineers Authoritative Statement and Next Steps Document; and results of the Building Safety Regulator’s initial review of the definition of higher-risk buildings and plans for an ongoing review.

These are significant steps to deliver the reforms we committed to in the Government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry to tackle fragmentation and complexity in the regulatory system and to ensure those responsible for building and fire safety are competent.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry Government Progress Report

This progress clearly demonstrates the Government’s determination to act decisively to deliver meaningful reform of the built environment. Since the progress report in September, we have completed a further five recommendations related to the construction industry, fire and rescue services and protecting vulnerable people.

Single Construction Regulator Prospectus: Consultation Document

The first recommendation from the Inquiry’s Phase 2 report was for Government to introduce a single construction regulator to tackle complexity and fragmentation in how the industry is regulated. In our response to the Inquiry, we committed to consulting on our next steps this year. Today we have published the Single Construction Regulator Prospectus: Consultation Document. This is a significant milestone in delivering this recommendation.

The prospectus lays out Government’s vision for a better regulatory system. We will tackle fragmentation by integrating the regulation of buildings, construction products, and professionals so they work as an effective system. At the heart of the system will be a single construction regulator who will consolidate the delivery of regulatory functions. The prospectus also sets out next steps for this Government’s wider programme of regulatory reform, including reforms to the Construction Products regime, to be set out in a White Paper by spring 2026, and a new overarching strategy for the built environment professions that goes beyond the areas highlighted by the Inquiry, to be published in spring 2027. The purpose of this reform is a more effective regulatory system, which means better outcomes for residents and building users; clarity and certainty for industry and investors; and a fairer system, that benefits those who prioritise safety and quality and sets clear accountabilities for all actors with a stake in the built environment.

Progress towards the Single Construction Regulator has begun through significant reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). In June, MHCLG announced a new phase for the BSR, including strengthened leadership and steps to address operational challenges. Work is now underway to establish the BSR as a new arm’s length body sponsored by MHCLG. The new body and dedicated leadership will provide a singular focus for this complex area of regulation, clearer lines of accountability to Ministers and Parliament, and greater operational flexibility while retaining its regulatory independence. Further reform, including integrating additional responsibilities, will be managed through a carefully phased approach, to ensure the current regulatory regime is not destabilised and to set the future regulator up for success.

The prospectus and consultation can be found on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/single-construction-regulator-prospectus. The consultation will run until 20 March 2026, inviting views on the proposals. We encourage as many responses as possible, to shape the future direction of the regulator and wider building system and make sure these reforms lead to real change for residents and building users.

Fire Engineers Authoritative Statement and Next Steps Document

The Fire Engineers Advisory Panel, established in April, brings together leading experts to strengthen the Government’s response to the Inquiry’s recommendations concerning fire engineers. In September, we committed to publishing an authoritative statement (recommendation 17) on the knowledge and skills to be expected of a competent fire engineer.

Today we have published the Fire Engineers Authoritative Statement, alongside a Next Steps document. This paper will set out MHCLG’s approach to recommendations 15, 16 and 18. Together, these publications provide clarity for the sector and signal the start of wider reforms to make sure the fire engineering profession is fit for the future.

Higher-Risk Buildings review publication

Today we have published the results of the Buildings Safety Regulator’s initial review of the definition of higher-risk buildings as well as the Regulator’s plans for an ongoing review.

The initial review found that the current definition appropriately reflects the available evidence on risks to individuals from the spread of fire and structural failure. Although no changes are to be made to regime scope at the present time, the ongoing review will ensure the data and evidence is regularly assessed to determine whether the categories of building subject to the higher-risk regime should be amended in any way. The presence of vulnerable individuals within designated building types will remain central to any assessment of risk.

Approved Document B Consultation

We will shortly launch a public consultation on proposed updates to Approved Document B, the statutory fire safety guidance within the Building Regulations. The consultation will seek views on targeted clarifications and technical changes, including new provisions for evacuation lifts in residential buildings above 18 metres, alongside measures to improve clarity and strengthen confidence in the guidance. These updates will be an important step in supporting inclusive design, safe evacuation strategies, and maintaining robust fire safety standards across the built environment.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

My Honourable Friend the Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy (Samantha Dixon MBE MP) has today made the following statement:

In June 2025, my department announced changes to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Today I am laying before the House draft regulations which will move the functions of the Building Safety Regulator out of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and to an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

This change will position the BSR for the coming years. It will strengthen lines of accountability and give a dedicated focus to BSR operations, and is an important first step towards establishing a single construction regulator, the lead recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report.

I am grateful to HSE for the leadership and experience it has brought to the establishment and early operations of the BSR, and for its ongoing support as this change is made.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

In June 2025, my department announced changes to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Today I am laying before the House draft regulations which will move the functions of the Building Safety Regulator out of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and to an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

This change will position the BSR for the coming years. It will strengthen lines of accountability and give a dedicated focus to BSR operations, and is an important first step towards establishing a single construction regulator, the lead recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report.

I am grateful to HSE for the leadership and experience it has brought to the establishment and early operations of the BSR, and for its ongoing support as this change is made.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Government has accepted, in principle, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendation to establish a national college of fire and rescue. The Inquiry report suggested a range of potential functions for a college to fulfil, including the development and assurance of national standards relating to various aspects of the work of fire and rescue services.

Any future college function relating to national standards would build on the work already undertaken by the Fire Standards Board (FSB), which currently develops and maintains a suite of professional standards for fire and rescue services in England. The 19 standards currently published by the FSB cover a range of topics relating to operational management, leadership and ethics.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry report made recommendations for reform relating to certain built environment professions, including regulation of fire engineers and mandatory accreditation of fire risk assessors. We have accepted these recommendations in full. We are aware of the importance of competence, accountability and good regulation to achieve a safer built environment and will continue to engage with the sector on this.

Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022 requires that building safety risks in Higher Risk Buildings are assessed, managed and controlled.  The assessment must be suitable and sufficient and all reasonable steps must be taken to manage and control the building safety risks.  Along with the Building Safety Regulator we keep under review the operation of the Building Assessment Certificate regime to ensure appropriate management of risks in Higher Risk Buildings.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Combustible materials in and on the external walls of new residential buildings higher than 18 metres were banned in 2018.

The Building Regulations 2010 set functional requirements for fire safety, including the need for internal linings and structural elements to inhibit fire spread and maintain stability.

More broadly, in 2021, the Government appointed the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) as the National Regulator for Construction Products (NRCP) to regulate construction products placed on the UK market. The NRCP and local authorities have powers to enforce the law where products do not comply with the Construction Products Regulations 2013. The regulator has prohibited the supply of construction products including certain insulation, toughened glass, and plywood. Following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry's report, the Government has committed to bringing forward reforms to ensure that all construction products supplied in the UK are safe.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report recommended that the Government establish a system of mandatory accreditation to certify the competence of fire risk assessors (FRAs) by setting standards for qualification and continuing professional development and such other measures as may be considered necessary or desirable. The Government accepted this recommendation in full, committing to legislate to make it a mandatory requirement for FRAs to have the competence to perform this critical role. To support delivery of the Inquiry recommendation, we intend to consult shortly on proposals relating to the future of the FRA profession.

Answering body: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The government has accepted, in principle, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendation to establish a national college of fire and rescue. The Inquiry report suggested a range of potential functions for a college to fulfil, including the development of policies and procedures to ensure both the effectiveness of fire and rescue services and the safety of firefighters and the public.

The government response to the Inquiry’s report notes that a necessary first step in the process will be to consult on the functions a college should have, what these functions should look like and how the college could best be structured and delivered. We expect to launch this consultation in the coming months.

Any future college function relating to national standards would build on the work already undertaken by the Fire Standards Board (FSB), which currently develops and maintains a suite of professional standards for fire and rescue services in England. The 19 standards currently published by the FSB cover a range of topics relating to operational management, leadership and ethics.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

As was the case under the previous administration, the Cabinet Office issues standard Cabinet Office branded lanyards to staff as a default.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (for example, security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to this government’s ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.

The (a) artwork and (b) branding for the 6,376 lanyards purchased prior to this ban, stated in Question 58669, is as follows:

‘reflex blue plain stock’ lanyards

blue lanyards with the Cabinet Office crest and the words "College for National Security" printed on them.

plain purple lanyards, with the Cabinet Office crest and "FS Conference 2024 Committee" printed on them

lanyards featuring a blue style with white print displaying "Crown Commercial Service" and the Crown logo, with metal hooks for attaching passes

“Phase 2 Grenfell Tower Inquiry” with lanyards with Team Member printed in black and 2 colour logo to face

“Government Project Delivery” lanyards printed in full colour to both sides

“Cabinet Office Digital” lanyards printed in full colour to both sides

"100 Year Partnership between Ukraine and the UK" lanyards printed with four colour logo