Parliamentary activity

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 timetable for the independent public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire is a matter for the Inquiry Chair.

The Inquiry’s most recent update, published on their website on 5 March, confirms that the Chairman is in the process of drafting the Phase 1 report and that he hopes to complete it in the spring.

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: Cabinet Office

The timetable for the independent public Inquiry is a matter for the Chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick. Work on Phase 2 has been going on for several months. Sir Martin has said that he would like to start the Phase 2 hearings as soon as possible, but there is still much work to do. The issues to be considered in Phase 2 are complex and detailed, and involve a huge number of documents, which must be reviewed and digested. The investigation must be thorough, but careful and detailed preparation should make it possible to ensure the hearings, once begun, are completed within a reasonable time

Before the phase 2 hearings, the Inquiry will produce its report on phase 1, and carry out, as far as it properly can, an investigation into the deaths caused by the fire, and make findings that will meet the coroner’s requirements. Sir Martin has made clear that some steps can and should be taken immediately in the interests of public safety, and he has put in place a procedure for considering proposals from core participants. Government is committed to providing the Inquiry with all the resources it needs to complete its important task.

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: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Department is providing the Grenfell Tower Inquiry with the documents that it holds in accordance with its Terms of Reference and List of Issues. It will then be for the Inquiry to determine which of these documents are relevant.

The Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety was commissioned to consider the effectiveness of the current system of building regulation and fire safety, with a particular focus on multi-occupancy, high-rise residential buildings. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ consultation papers on the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations did not fall within the remit of the Review.

Answering body: Home Office

We will do everything we can to support the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry and enable Core Participants to attend. Where attendance at the Inquiry is raised, visas have been issued, including outside of the Immigration Rules, for periods of up to six months.

The Grenfell relatives’ policy introduced on 11 October 2017, was extended on 26 June to allow family members of victims or survivors with Core Participant status or who are called to give evidence, to extend their stay for further six-month periods. This is to allow relatives to remain at least until the anticipated close of the Inquiry oral evidence sessions.

Relatives who do not have CP status, or who wish to apply for a longer period of stay, may wish to consider whether they meet the requirements of existing published policies to come to or remain in the UK.

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: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

With regard to your previous question HL6432 the Government is taking forward this work at pace and on the Expert Panels’ advice we are conducting a thorough investigation including further testing as quickly as possible. We are committed to providing an update by the end of April.

With regard to your previous question HL6433 and the 6 questions therein, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry is examining the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017. It will establish the facts and will make recommendations as to the action needed to prevent a similar tragedy happening again. The Metropolitan police service is leading the criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire. Both the public inquiry and criminal investigation are independent from government and it would be wrong for me to comment on the scope of those investigations.

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 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. The Prime Minister’s notice of determination to the Inquiry, published on 22 August confirms this. The Inquiry will publish details of legal costs in due course.

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: 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

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: 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: 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.