Key Facts

• The amendments aim to apply fire safety measures to penetrations through fire-rated walls and floors in multi-dwelling buildings.
• Gary Streeter's amendment seeks to clarify the application of fire safety orders to all parts of a building with two or more dwellings, beyond just common areas and structural elements.
• Social distancing guidelines are strictly enforced during the parliamentary session.
• The statement discusses amendment 1 and amendment 2 tabled by Andrew Slaughter and the shadow Minister.
• Amendment 1 focuses on defining 'common parts' in relation to external walls and floors.
• Amendment 2 aims to ensure comprehensive coverage of all areas within a building under fire safety regulations.
• Amendment 2 aims to make the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order apply to all parts of a building containing two or more dwellings.
• 'Common parts' should include entrance halls, corridors, stairways, lift motor rooms, service risers, roof voids, and fire safety facilities used in common for protection.
• The Local Government Association commissioned work to understand risks in tall buildings following Grenfell Tower disaster.
• It is less than two weeks since the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.
• The Fire Safety Bill aims to resolve differing interpretations of the scope of the fire safety order in multi-occupied residential buildings.
• A building risk review programme will be undertaken for all high-rise residential buildings in England by December 2021, supported by £10 million of new funding.
• The Government are establishing a task and finish group to advise on commencement of the Bill.
• Guidance will be produced by the British Standards Institution for assessing external wall systems.
• Amendments aim to clarify articles 2 to 22 and 38 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Amendments seek proper alignment between the Fire Safety Order and other fire safety regulations, including the Building Safety Bill.
• The amendments allow for changes through regulations under section (1A).
• Amendments aim to account for phase 1 recommendations from the Grenfell Tower public inquiry and future phase 2 recommendations.
• London Fire Brigade highlighted the need for legal mechanisms for front door improvements, additional fire detection systems, and retrospective fitting of fire safety measures.
• The Building Safety Bill will place requirements on accountable persons for building safety, including fire safety.
• No new facts, statistics, dates, or names were provided in Gary Streeter's brief response.
• The Bill aims to improve fire risk identification in multi-occupied blocks.
• A task and finish group, co-chaired by the Fire Sector Federation and NFCC, is established to provide recommendations on commencement methods.
• The group will advise on prioritizing high-risk buildings for cladding system assessments.
• New Clause 1 would enable renters and owners to check the fire safety status of their potential homes through a publicly available register.
• New Clause 2 proposes creating a public register of qualified individuals who can make fire risk assessments under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• New Clause 7 requires accreditation for fire risk assessors of buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises.
• New clauses call for public registers of fire risk assessments and assessors.
• Non-qualified individuals are currently conducting fire assessments.
• There is a precedent for such public registers in the form of energy performance certificates.
• In 2017, an independent fire risk assessor received a four-month jail sentence for inadequate assessments.
• A private hire safety consultant was found to have provided valueless risk assessments in south Wales.
• In 2012, a fire risk assessor in Nottingham was fined £15,000 for inadequate fire precautions.
• The current fire safety order establishes a self-compliance regime without requiring responsible persons to record completed fire risk assessments.
• A new clause proposes creating a public register of fire risk assessors and requiring them to be accredited.
• Industry-led competency steering groups will soon publish a report on proposals for creating a register, third-party accreditation, and a competency framework.
• In St Albans, leaseholders face extra charges of around £20,000 each per flat.
• Some service charges have increased sixfold since the tragedy in 2017.
• The MP expresses concern over the impact on a property market already financially challenging due to the pandemic.
• New Clause 4 aims to amend article 3 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• New Clause 5 seeks to add a new paragraph (3A) after existing paragraph (3) of Article 9.
• The amendments seek clarity on responsibility and co-operation in fire safety assessments.
• New clause 4 aims to prevent leaseholders from being defined as responsible persons unless they have collectively bought the freehold.
• Article 9 of the fire safety order requires all responsible persons or duty holders to complete a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for their premises.
• The Government will establish a guidance steering group to recommend, co-ordinate, and deliver reviews of all guidance provided under the order.
• The new clause would require inspectors to prioritize risk when discharging their duties under Article 27 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Of more than 100,000 fire doors inspected across the UK in 2019, 76% did not comply with building regulations and about one in six were not proper fire doors.
• The London Borough of Hillingdon had to go to court on 16 occasions last year to gain access for safety-critical work.
• The Prime Minister has accepted the outcome of the Grenfell inquiry.
• Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s report recommends that proposals should command support from those with relevant experience.
• Fire and rescue authorities are accountable for managing risk according to the fire and rescue national framework for England.
• A £10 million funding was provided to support the building risk review programme, aiming to review all high-rise residential buildings by the end of 2021.
• New clause 8 addresses the issue of waking watches for buildings with fire safety failures.
• Tens of thousands of people are living in blocks requiring remediation work and have been put under waking watch.
• Leaseholders are paying up to £14,000 a year for waking watch services.
• Officials from both the Home Office and MHCLG have been working on the Fire Safety Bill for some time.
• The Committee has expressed appreciation for the work done by officials to engage with industry groups and affected residents in a sensitive manner.
• Sarah Jones thanked the officials for their help, especially during an unexpected House adjournment that created a tight deadline for tabling amendments.
• The statement refers to several organisations including the Fire Brigades Union (FSB01), Institution of Engineering and Technology (FSB02), Fire Sector Federation (FSB03), National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC - FSB04), British Property Federation (FSB05), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (FSB06), and the National Housing Federation (FSB07).
• The government's programme has failed to recognise the impact on organisations across the sector.