Where Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding is present on residential buildings over 18 metres in height, the Government is providing testing for local authorities and housing associations free of charge. If the screening tests indicate that such cladding would not meet the limited combustibility requirements of the current Building Regulations guidance, it is for landlords in consultation with the fire and rescue service and other experts to determine, and take, the best course of action, communicating closely with residents. My Department has issued advice on the interim mitigating measures landlords should implement. Cost considerations must not get in the way of making sure that residents are safe. Where work is necessary to ensure the fire safety of a building, we will ensure that lack of financial resources will not prevent them going ahead.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-10T16:25:38.027Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Repairs and Maintenance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding is being put in place to support local authorities and social housing landlords repairing high-rise blocks as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4316", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Kane"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wythenshawe and Sale East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Kane"} ], "uin" : "2259"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747140", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747140/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department wrote to all social housing providers in 2013, encouraging them to act on the recommendations in a Coroner\u2019s report into firefighter deaths which occurred at Shirley Towers in Southampton in April 2010. That letter encouraged providers to consider the retrofitting of sprinklers in older residential tower blocks. The Department then reinforced the content of that letter in it\u2019s response to the Coroner\u2019s report into the Lakanal House Fire \u2013 a copy of which can be found at<\/p>
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205567/Annex_B_-_SoS_DCLG_Rule_43_response.pdf<\/a><\/p> We are committed to looking at wider issues following the Grenfell Tower fire and this work will now need to be informed by any recommendations that the independent inquiry makes.<\/p> We have appointed an expert panel to advise us on immediate steps to be taken following the Grenfell Tower fire, and will act on those recommendations where necessary. The role of the expert panel and the advice already given is set out in a note published last week at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-note-on-safety-checks-and-testing<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-06T15:07:24.283Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-30", "_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 Communities and Local Government, when the Government plans to decide whether sprinkler systems should be a mandatory requirement for high-rise buildings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4316", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Kane"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wythenshawe and Sale East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Kane"}
], "uin" : "2260"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747142", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747142/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Building Regulations and supporting guidance set out the requirements for external walls in relation to fire safety. Advice to all building control bodies was published on 14 July, which highlighted the key Building Regulations' guidance requirements when cladding work on high rise buildings over 18 metres tall is undertaken. That note can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ensure-that-recladding-work-meets-building-regulations-advises-expert-panel<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-20T15:16:01.12Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Insulation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will issue urgent guidance on what are acceptable replacement materials for the multi-storey blocks that have had cladding removed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4316", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Kane"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wythenshawe and Sale East"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Kane"}
], "uin" : "2261"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747144", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/747144/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Generally the installation of cladding will be development that requires planning permission. There may be circumstances where the external appearance of the building is not materially altered where planning permission is not required, depending on the scale of the operation, but this is a matter for each local planning authority to determine in the first instance.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4014", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Reading West"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alok Sharma"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-20T16:54:35.14Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "High Rise Flats: Insulation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to require formal planning for all proposals involving cladding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emma Hardy"}
], "uin" : "2262"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/746772", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/746772/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Coroner\u2019s report into Lakanal House recommended simplifying the fire safety guidance relating to Building Regulations (Approved Document B). This work was being progressed.<\/p> Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, we will need to consider the position on guidance further alongside the Prime Minister\u2019s commitment to look at wider issues. This work will now need to be informed by any recommendations that the independent inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire makes.<\/p>