Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a designated Responsible Person has an obligation to ensure that existing residential buildings have appropriate fire safety measures. Retrofitting sprinklers may, but might not always, be the right option and other fire safety measures could be taken that may be appropriate for an individual building. When new building work is undertaken, the Building Regulations set out the levels of safety and performance that is required and are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Documents. The Government amended Approved Document B Fire Safety in May 2020, reducing the trigger height for provision of sprinklers in new tall buildings from 30m to 11m.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4652", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lee Rowley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Derbyshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lee Rowley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-13T15:14:14.82Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-02-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring sprinklers are retrofitted to high-risk buildings where deemed necessary by a risk assessment.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4653", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Morgan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Portsmouth South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Morgan"} ], "uin" : "13362"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1687604", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1687604/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a designated Responsible Person has an obligation to ensure that existing residential buildings have appropriate fire safety measures. Retrofitting sprinklers may, but might not always, be the right option and other fire safety measures could be taken that may be appropriate for an individual building. When new building work is undertaken, the Building Regulations set out the levels of safety and performance that is required and are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Documents. The Government amended Approved Document B Fire Safety in May 2020, reducing the trigger height for provision of sprinklers in new tall buildings from 30m to 11m.<\/p>
The Government does not hold information on how many and what proportion of high rise buildings have sprinklers installed. For occupied higher-risk buildings falling under Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022, accountable persons are required as part of the Key Building Information to provide the Building Safety Regulator with a list of all fire and smoke control equipment within the higher-risk building. This includes whether there are sprinklers in the building. The Building Safety Regulator is planning to publish the Key Building Information later this year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4652", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lee Rowley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Derbyshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lee Rowley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "13113"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-12T17:42:16.193Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the merits of making sprinklers mandatory in all high rise buildings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "13112"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1687605", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1687605/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a designated Responsible Person has an obligation to ensure that existing residential buildings have appropriate fire safety measures. Retrofitting sprinklers may, but might not always, be the right option and other fire safety measures could be taken that may be appropriate for an individual building. When new building work is undertaken, the Building Regulations set out the levels of safety and performance that is required and are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Documents. The Government amended Approved Document B Fire Safety in May 2020, reducing the trigger height for provision of sprinklers in new tall buildings from 30m to 11m.<\/p>
The Government does not hold information on how many and what proportion of high rise buildings have sprinklers installed. For occupied higher-risk buildings falling under Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022, accountable persons are required as part of the Key Building Information to provide the Building Safety Regulator with a list of all fire and smoke control equipment within the higher-risk building. This includes whether there are sprinklers in the building. The Building Safety Regulator is planning to publish the Key Building Information later this year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4652", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lee Rowley"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Derbyshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lee Rowley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "13112"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-12T17:42:16.24Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many and what proportion of high rise buildings have sprinklers installed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "13113"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1194924", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1194924/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We plan to publish in May an update to Approved Document B that will include a provision for sprinkler systems and new high-rise blocks of flats over 11 metres tall.<\/p>
The Government has been clear, building owners are responsible for making sure that any existing residential building has the appropriate fire safety in place, including the retrofit of sprinklers where necessary. Sprinklers are only one of the fire safety measures which can be provided in an overall fire safety package and an appropriate level of fire safety can be achieved without the need to retrofit sprinklers. Building owners should take advice from competent professionals and decide whether or not to retrofit sprinklers.<\/p>
For buildings in scope of the new building safety regime, the Accountable Person will be required to demonstrate how they are managing fire and structural risks on an ongoing basis.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-21T08:40:42.677Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the building regulations requirement that new buildings over 11 meters are fitted with sprinklers, if his Department will make an assessment of the merits of ensuring existing buildings over 11 metres are fitted with sprinklers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4667", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Amesbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Weaver Vale"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Amesbury"} ], "uin" : "46147"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1178342", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1178342/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Research by the Building Research Establishment into the effectiveness of residential sprinklers estimates a reduction in deaths and injuries at 76 per cent and 58 per cent respectively. The Secretary of State's statement on building safety on 20 January 2020 set out that we are considering lowering the height threshold for sprinkler requirements in new buildings to 11 metres.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-24T18:08:58.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sprinkler systems in improving fire safety in tower blocks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Apsana Begum"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Apsana Begum"} ], "uin" : "2027"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150985", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1150985/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Yes, the second paragraph from the executive summary states the following:<\/p>
\u201cThis Final work stream report describes the findings of the research for Work stream 5 \u2013 Sprinkler provisions. The guidance in Approved Document B (AD B) currently provides that most buildings over 30 m tall should have sprinkler protection with the exception of purpose groups: 2(a) \u2013 residential (institutional), 2(b) \u2013 residential (other) and 7(b) \u2013 (car parks). The principal aim of this work stream was to produce robust evidence and data to explore the options for fire sprinklers in tall buildings above 30 m not currently requiring sprinklers.\u201d<\/em><\/p> Please note that, since July the Department has published a consultation which outlines the government\u2019s intention to amend Approved Document B to reduce the trigger height at which sprinkler systems would be required in new high-rise blocks of flats and asks for views on the trigger height options. The consultation is available at the following and closes on 28 November 2019: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/sprinklers-and-other-fire-safety-measures-in-new-high-rise-blocks-of-flats.<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4084", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Esther McVey"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tatton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Esther McVey"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-29T17:17:23.697Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-10-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 2 July 2019 to Question 270343 on Fire Extinguishers, whether his Department's report referenced in that Answer includes the cost of installing sprinkler systems in new buildings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4138", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rushanara Ali"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bethnal Green and Bow"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rushanara Ali"}
], "uin" : "2816"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1135203", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1135203/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As part of our work on fire safety, we have investigated the costs of a wide range of fire protection measures. The costs of retrofitting sprinklers varies widely depending on the nature and construction of the building in question. Building owners should assess the risks based on the building design and take action, in consultation with residents, if necessary.<\/p>