Building Safety and Social Housing

Questions the Government's claim of doing everything possible to prevent another Grenfell, pointing out that fewer than one in five high-rise social housing blocks have been retrofitted with sprinklers or fire alarms due to a lack of funding.

Raises concern over amendments to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill that give the Secretary of State powers to scrap the Building Safety Regulator via statutory instruments, questioning the necessity of such power.

Inquires about the difficulties faced by a company in Glasgow South West working on cladding removal due to issues with insurance companies and premiums, seeking details on discussions with the insurance industry.

Acknowledges some work done by the Government but expresses concern about the slow pace of remediation for buildings between 11 to 18 metres high, questioning how this process can be sped up.

Acknowledges systemic failures and pays tribute to community groups that stepped forward impressively on the ground post-Grenfell. Emphasises the need for engagement with these community groups in the future.

The speaker discusses the ongoing impact of the Grenfell Tower fire on survivors and the community. He highlights the importance of remembering those who lost their lives in the tragedy, while also addressing issues such as building safety, social housing quality, and leaseholder protections. Pennycook emphasises that despite progress made through legislation like the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill, there is still much more to be done to ensure safe living conditions for residents across England.

Interacts with Matthew Pennycook by asking if leaseholders need the same problem identification and fixing process as social tenants before funding can occur. He suggests that waiting for funding is not ideal, implying a different approach to remediation efforts.

Thanking Peter Bottomley for his remarks, Richard Burgon asks if he would support the global banning of ACM cladding and its removal from 40 blocks in the UK where it currently exists. This highlights the community's desire to see dangerous materials like ACM banned globally.

Referenced the Grenfell fire which killed 72 people due to flammable cladding and acknowledged the ongoing impact on survivors. Mentioned that a total of 6,247 individuals were referred to an NHS health and wellbeing service post-Grenfell, including 1,476 children. Emphasised the need for continued support from Ministers in maintaining these health services while addressing building safety issues. Highlighted the Scottish Government's actions regarding cladding remediation, noting £1.3 million of funding committed and a streamlined process to identify at-risk buildings more quickly.

Andrew Slaughter agreed with the Secretary of State on having an annual Grenfell debate but criticised the Government's progress, stating that more questions are raised each year. He emphasised the importance of banning ACM cladding internationally and highlighted issues in building design and finance for remediation work. Slaughter detailed three causes of fires: a crimp causing the Grenfell fire, lithium batteries causing explosions, and faulty tumble dryers leading to fires. He also criticised the lack of regulation regarding these issues. Additionally, he discussed the need for better building designs with multiple staircases and retrofitting sprinklers into high-rise buildings. Slaughter further addressed the financial pressures on social housing providers and the Housing Minister's perceived lack of understanding of these challenges.

Mrs Anderson welcomed the debate marking six years since the Grenfell tragedy and paid tribute to victims' families, survivors, and campaigners. She criticised the slow progress on removing hazardous cladding from buildings despite the good intentions of the Building Safety Act. Mrs Anderson highlighted that only one block out of 30 in her constituency had its unsafe cladding removed, raising concerns about developers' delays, residents' mental distress, rising mortgage costs, and unresolved issues with EWS1 forms and non-cladding defects. She questioned the lack of deadlines for remediation work and called for robust enforcement measures to ensure accountability from developers and manufacturers involved in installing dangerous materials like those found at Grenfell Tower. Mrs Anderson emphasised the need for government support for social housing tenants' voices, particularly temporary accommodation tenants, and criticised the inadequacy of safety standards across hospitals and homes.

In response to the debate on Grenfell Tower, Paula Barker highlighted the ongoing issues related to inequality and inadequate housing conditions in one of London's wealthiest boroughs. She emphasised the need for accountability, truth, and justice for those affected by the tragedy and stressed the importance of addressing the social housing crisis that continues to plague many communities. Barker praised previous speakers' contributions but also pointed out that while progress has been made over the past year, it remains inadequate. She called on the Government to expedite measures and provide clarity regarding resources needed for councils and fire services to effectively regulate building safety.

Six years on from the tragic events of 14 June 2017, the UK Government remains committed to providing long-term support for recovery and rebuilding shattered lives in North Kensington. The Minister emphasised the need for people to be safe in their homes and outlined various measures such as lowering the threshold for sprinkler systems in new blocks from 30 metres to 11 metres, banning ACM cladding on all new builds, and implementing the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill to address hazards like damp and mould within a fixed timeframe. The Minister also mentioned that 96% of identified high-rise residential buildings have either completed or started work to remove and replace unsafe cladding.

Asked the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government about a specific date by which all ACM cladding should be removed from high-rise buildings. The intervention highlighted ongoing concerns regarding the pace of remediation efforts.