Backbench Business

The MP emphasises the need for an annual debate on Grenfell Tower fire inquiry progress. He discusses issues like delayed justice, insufficient accountability measures, and ongoing risks due to unsafe housing conditions.

Supports Richard Burgon's stance on the necessity of legally required emergency evacuation plans for people with disabilities. Criticises the government for backtracking on their promise to implement Grenfell inquiry recommendations fully.

Expresses deep sorrow for the victims of Grenfell Tower and highlights the ongoing suffering of survivors and bereaved families. Emphasises the importance of a lasting legacy to ensure safety in homes and community voices being heard. Acknowledges progress made with new acts but stresses that more needs to be done quickly. Reiterates her previous call for all recommendations from the Grenfell inquiry to be implemented at speed.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate and commend the newly elected Member for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad, for coping with extraordinary challenges post-Grenfell. The tragedy exposed state failures, particularly in addressing homelessness and justice. Urgency was paramount but has been denied over five years. Building safety improvements are insufficient given the ongoing risks faced by residents across the UK. The Government's decision not to implement personal emergency evacuation plans recommendations undermines trust. I pay tribute to survivors, relatives, community organisations like Grenfell United for their resilience and ongoing fight for justice.

Emma Dent Coad is present in the Public Gallery today. As a new MP in 2017, this issue has been defining and challenging; it's hard to fathom her experience.

I agree with my hon. Friend that the Grenfell tragedy has profoundly impacted our work here for five years. Buildings in Battersea still have unsafe cladding and residents are unfairly burdened with financial costs despite legislation aimed at addressing these issues.

Agrees with the hon. Member for Westminster North about complacency in safety systems and emergency planning, emphasising the need to learn rather than blame. Criticises the length of time taken by the Grenfell inquiry, recommending an independent building safety investigation body similar to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. Proposes a new regulatory system for building control where both private approved inspectors and local authority building control are regulated on an equal basis.

The hon. Member for Hammersmith and Chiswick emphasised the impact of Grenfell on victims' families, the wider community, and the negligence that led to the tragedy. He criticised the lack of accountability from multiple sectors including the Government and building industry. He pointed out specific failures such as slow progress in banning certain types of cladding, inadequate response to design flaws like single staircases, and electrical safety issues. He also highlighted inconsistencies in fire safety regulations across different types of housing tenures.

The right hon. Member for Islington North intervened to raise concerns about a 55-storey building with a single staircase, questioning the decision-making process and authority behind granting permission for such a structure.

The hon. Member for Battersea intervened to discuss the impact of rejecting personal emergency evacuation plans on disabled people living in high-rise buildings, questioning whether their lives are valued by the Government's decision.

The hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex intervened to argue that public pressure rather than risk assessment has driven changes in fire safety measures, highlighting issues with the Building Safety Regulator's conflict of interest and potential for excessive defensive regulation at the expense of effective risk management.

Ms Foy expressed her gratitude to her colleague for initiating the debate and paid tribute to the victims of the Grenfell fire, emphasising that those who died were primarily minorities, asylum seekers, migrants, the disabled, and the poor. She criticised the leadership of Kensington and Chelsea Council for their decision to use combustible cladding due to cost-saving motives despite warnings from residents about safety concerns. She highlighted how the tragedy could have been avoided if there was a commitment to ensure human beings' safety over austerity measures, deregulation, and privatization. Ms Foy also noted the significant reduction in firefighter jobs since 2010 as evidence against the path of deregulation and privatisation. She stressed that despite the passage of time, little has changed regarding prosecutions, safety regulations, and the removal of dangerous cladding.

Stressed the trauma and ongoing suffering of those affected by the Grenfell fire, paying tribute to emergency services who risked their lives. Criticised the government for not taking decisive action on cladding issues. Raised concerns about residents being saddled with large bills due to unsafe building materials and highlighted examples from his constituency where people are stuck in unsatisfactory situations. Urged for strategic vision and cooperation between professional organisations to address fire safety failures and negligence towards social housing residents.

Pays tribute to the victims and survivors of Grenfell Tower fire, five years later. Criticises the government's lack of accountability, highlighting that chief executives of building companies linked to the fire have collectively received £50 million in pay and bonuses while residents are being asked to fund the removal of dangerous cladding themselves. Points out that less than 1% of those who applied for the Government’s Building Safety Fund had their dangerous cladding removed.

Pays tribute to the victims and survivors, discussing the resonance of the tragedy across the UK and highlighting how social housing residents felt overlooked. Emphasises the need for justice and recognition of race, class, and disability factors in the disaster. Criticises the Government’s refusal to place a legal duty on building owners to provide personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled residents.

Ms Black echoed the respectful sentiments of everyone in the debate and highlighted the inquiry's findings that exposed incompetence, cronyism, and indifference at both corporate and governmental levels. She detailed how manufacturers ignored safety tests for flammable cladding used in buildings, leading to residents living in unsafe conditions despite repeated complaints. The Member criticised cost-cutting measures as a primary reason for these failures and emphasised the systemic racial and economic biases that exacerbated the situation. Ms Black also pointed out ongoing issues such as half a million people still residing in buildings with unsafe cladding and highlighted the lack of accountability, urging for concrete actions to prevent future tragedies.

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds East for securing this debate on the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, which highlights the aftermath and what could be its legacy. It has been an excellent debate with well-informed contributions from Members who have expressed admiration for survivors, bereaved families, and the wider community for their pursuit of justice and dedication to change. The fire was a result of avoidable decisions and negligence, not just industry practice but also state failure in regulatory oversight. The Government's duty is to ensure everyone lives in safe homes, yet serious concerns remain about the implementation of the new building safety regime and the pace of remediation efforts.

I would go further than the hon. Member regarding the concept behind the architecture in the Building Safety Act, pointing out conflicts of interest for building control surveyors and a lack of independent incident investigation. I invite Nick Raynsford, Keith Conradi, and myself to brief the Opposition Front-Bench team on these issues fully.

The Minister thanked Members for their contributions and acknowledged the significance of the Grenfell tragedy. He emphasised the Government's responsibility to honour the memory of those who lost their lives by ensuring that similar tragedies do not occur again. The Minister highlighted ongoing efforts, such as the Building Safety Act and Fire Safety Act, aimed at reforming building safety regulations. He also addressed specific points raised in the debate, including calls for an annual debate on the issue and questions about compensation for leaseholders.

Mr Jenkin requested a meeting between himself, Keith Conradi, Nick Raynsford, and the Secretary of State to discuss further engagement with Ministers regarding ongoing efforts to address safety issues.

Mr Corbyn inquired about compensation for leaseholders who have been paying excessive levels of insurance due to no fault of their own and are struggling financially as a result.

The debate focused on the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, with Richard Burgon emphasising the need for the government to implement all recommendations from the inquiry, including personal evacuation plans. He also highlighted the importance of the Hillsborough law and called for cladding companies to contribute towards resolving the crisis. Burgon paid tribute to Councillor Emma Dent Coad and quoted Peter Apps on the private sector's disregard for human life.

Evans briefly acknowledged the families affected by the tragedy, expressing condolences and supporting the debate resolution.