Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Dangerous Cladding: Residential Buildings

Monday 5 October 2020 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Department taking action through the Building Safety Bill and allocating 1.6 billion to remove unsafe cladding systems.
  • Government prioritizing buildings over 18 metres in height for cladding removal due to fire danger.
  • Government working with lenders to expedite solutions for individuals affected by cladding issues.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sam Tarry
Housing Environment
Context

Concern about the safety risks posed by dangerous building cladding, especially for residents in high-rise and multi-storey buildings.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that dangerous cladding is removed from residential buildings of all heights?

Answer from Christopher Pincher

We are taking action with the biggest reforms of building and fire safety in nearly 40 years through the Building Safety Bill. To tackle the most urgent problems, we have already made available £1.6 billion to remove unsafe cladding systems, and appointed expert construction consultants to review aluminium composite material remediation timescales and to work at increased pace.

Answered
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Q2 Paul Blomfield Lab
Housing Environment
Context

A constituent is unable to sell their flat due to the lack of EWS1 forms, a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors requirement, which is not being provided by the management company because the building is below 18 meters.

Question

There should indeed be no excuse for delay, but a constituent of mine tells me that she and her partner are stuck between a rock and a hard place because they cannot sell their flat. Up to half a million people are now in the same position. The Minister will know that whether buildings are above 18 metres or, as in the case of my constituent, below that height, mortgage lenders are requiring EWS1 forms for fire safety clearance. My constituent's management company refuses to test her building because it is below 18 metres. The Select Committee called for urgent action in June, so what is the Minister doing to help all those who are trapped by the failure of remediation and by these requirements?

Answer from Christopher Pincher

With respect to buildings below 18 metres, we are following the advice of Dame Judith Hackitt to target the tallest buildings—those over 18 metres—because they are at greatest danger of fire if they are clad. With respect to the EWS1 form—a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors form—I can confirm that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had discussions with lenders and that my noble Friend the noble Lord Greenhalgh has discussed with the insurance industry how to resolve these matters better.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions for buildings below 18 metres

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Q3 Rebecca Long-Bailey Lab Salford
Housing Local Government
Context

Leaseholders in Salford are among over 700,000 nationally who live in dangerously cladded homes. Only 65 registrations to the building safety fund have been allowed to proceed, leaving many unable to sell their homes due to remediation costs.

Question

Countless Salford residents are among over 700,000 nationally who are still living in dangerously cladded homes, yet only 65 registrations to the building safety fund have been allowed to proceed, an estimated 1.5 million people cannot sell their homes, and exorbitant remediation costs are still being passed on to leaseholders for defects that they did not cause. Will the Minister end this protracted scandal today and commit to the proposals set out by the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign and the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee?

Answer from Christopher Pincher

I have every sympathy with the situation that the hon. Lady's constituents find themselves in. She will understand that in order to target the right buildings and ensure that the buildings most at risk are prioritised, it is important that the money disbursed by the Government is spent effectively.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to proposals from campaign and committee

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Q4 Sam Tarry
Housing
Context

The building safety fund is estimated to cover less than a third of the buildings that require external remediation, and it does not even cover interim safety measures and costs.

Question

According to leading civil servants, the building safety fund will cover less than a third of the buildings that require external remediation, and it does not even cover the interim safety measures and costs that may unscrupulous freeholders have been pushing on to leaseholders, including at Raphael House in my constituency. My constituents and I are wondering whether the Government could increase the budget for that fund so that all buildings are covered, including the cost of the expensive interim safety measures, and extend the application deadline beyond April so that freeholders can act responsibly in the best interests of leaseholders and tenants.

Answer from Christopher Pincher

The objective of the £1 billion fund is to target those properties that most need help, where there is no other immediate means of helping them. £1 billion is not a small amount of money and it is important that we get that money out of the door first to help those places that need it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific increase in fund budget and deadline extension

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Q5 Mike Amesbury Lab
Housing
Context

Many thousands of people are trapped in a situation where they cannot sell their homes due to EWS1 form requirements, with an estimated 1.5 million people affected.

Question

Ritu and Rebecca are among the many thousands of people now trapped in this situation despite their good intentions. Hon. Members across the House have discussed the EWS1 form today. The current estimate for the 1.5 million people stuck in this situation is that it will take 15 years-plus to resolve. This requires a sense of urgency. When the Minister going to get a grip of the situation?

Answer from Christopher Pincher

As I explained to the House just a moment ago—I think the hon. Gentleman heard what I said— the Government are working with lenders to make sure that this situation moves as quickly as possible, so that lenders require other more easily available assurances and are encouraged to act much more quickly.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific timeline for resolution of EWS1 form issue

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