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Building Safety Bill - Sitting 5 (Morning)

16 September 2021

Proposing MP
Peter Dowd Lab
Bootle
Type
Public Bill Committee

At a Glance

Issue Summary

The statement is about procedural reminders for a Public Bill Committee meeting and the commencement of line-by-line consideration of amendments in the Building Safety Bill. The statement addresses the Building Safety Bill and its aim to reform the building safety system following Dame Judith Hackitt's independent review. The statement discusses the Building Safety Bill and its implications for residents and leaseholders in buildings with cladding issues. The statement discusses the Building Safety Bill and the establishment of a Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive to ensure building safety in the future. The MP is discussing the Building Safety Bill and proposing an amendment to include climate change risks in the regulator's objectives. The MP discusses whether the Building Safety Bill needs to explicitly address climate change risks such as flooding and overheating. The statement addresses concerns about the current patchwork approach to planning and flooding in the UK, emphasizing the need for water companies to be statutory consultees and the importance of addressing flooding in deprived urban areas.

Action Requested

No specific action is requested. The speaker provides guidance on electronic devices, mask-wearing, seating arrangements, and email submission of speaking notes to Hansard colleagues. They also outline the process for debating and deciding on amendments according to the selection list.

Key Facts

  • No specific policy or legislative changes are proposed.
  • Electronic devices must be switched to silent mode.
  • Masks should be worn when not speaking.
  • Water is the only permitted drink in the room.
  • Dame Judith Hackitt's independent review found significant reform was needed in the building sector.
  • The Building Safety Regulator will be established within the Health and Safety Executive, which has been delivering safety improvements as a shadow regulator since before the Bill's introduction.
  • Schedule 1 of the Building Safety Bill amends the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to support the delivery of the new building functions by the HSE.
  • The Building Safety Regulator will sit at the heart of wider reform.
  • The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received a 10% financial increase during the covid emergency, amounting to £14 million.
  • Clause 2 provides necessary powers for the regulator to deliver a new regulatory regime.
  • The Health and Safety Executive has had 45 years of experience in dealing with health and safety.
  • Local authorities have been impacted by resource constraints over the past decade due to austerity measures.
  • There were 46% cuts to HSE over the last decade, with a third of officers leaving.
  • Amendment 11 would expand the objective of the regulator to include mitigating building safety risks due to climate change.
  • In 2019, the Climate Change Committee reported that UK homes are not fit for future challenges posed by higher temperatures, flooding and water scarcity.
  • Maximum summer temperatures could rise by 9° by the end of the century according to projections.
  • The Building Safety Regulator is crucial for implementing a new, more stringent regulatory regime for higher-risk buildings.
  • The MP refers to consultations with experts including Dame Judith Hackitt and Baroness Brown.
  • Clause definitions in the Bill specify higher-risk buildings as residential buildings over 18 metres in height.
  • Water companies are currently not statutory consultees in planning processes.
  • Flooding is a significant issue in deprived urban areas, often overlooked compared to shire areas.
  • There has been flooding in Northwich area over the last two years due to climate emergency.
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