Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner read out an oral statement in the House of Commons this afternoon, detailing the government’s response to the final Grenfell inquiry report
The final report from the Grenfell Inquiry was published on 4 September 2024 and detailed the decades of shortsighted decision-making that led to 72 lives being lost in the 2017 fire.
Prime minister Keir Starmer committed to providing a full response within six months of the report’s publication.
The deputy prime minister confirmed on 7 February that the remains of the tower would be demolished over a two year period as it was not structurally sound enough to remain as a memorial, as some survivors wanted.
Instead a new memorial will be placed on the site, designed in collaboration with those affected in the local community. A shortlist of five teams for the project was announced in late January.
Angela Rayner condemned the “shocking industry behaviour” that led to the fire:
“The final report exposed in stark and devastating detail the shocking industry behaviour and wider failures that led to the fire, and the deep injustices endured by the bereaved, survivors and residents.
“We are acting on all of the inquiry’s findings, and today set out our full response, detailing the tough action we are taking to drive change and reform the system to ensure no community will ever have to face a tragedy like Grenfell again.
“That means greater accountability, stronger regulation and putting residents at the heart of decision-making. We must deliver the fundamental change required. We owe that to the Grenfell community, to the country and to the memory of those who lost their lives.”
The government has committed to:
- Establish a single regulator for construction who would oversee everything from construction products, fire testing, building control, and all aspects of fire safety and report to the government
- Bringing fire safety under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Reviewing and revising the definition of “higher-risk building” in law, as well reviewing as Approved Document B
- Legally requiring fire risk assessors to have their competence certified
- Consulting on a new college of fire and rescue to raise the standard of training of firefighters
- Implementing a new residential personal emergency evacuation plan policy to improve the fire safety and evacuation of vulnerable and disabled residents in high-rise and high-risk residential buildings
The government will also launch a green paper on construction products to address the gaps in the testing and compliance processes identified by the inquiry and other independent reviews.
Seven of the firms involved will be investigated under the Procurement Act
Operating under debarment powers granted by the Procurement Act 2023, which came into effect on Monday 24 February, seven firms identified in the inquiry will be investigated to establish “whether the organisations have engaged in professional misconduct”, according to a written statement from Cabinet Office parliamentary secretary Georgia Gould.
The new legislation permits the suppliers to be investigated and “if certain grounds are met […] add their names to a published and centrally managed debarment list, which must be taken into account by contracting authorities in awarding new contracts and undertaking new procurements,” she continued.
The companies being investigated are:
- Arconic Architectural Products SAS
- Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Limited, (which previously owned Celotex Limited)
- Exova (UK) Limited
- Harley Facades Limited
- Kingspan Insulation Limited
- Rydon Maintenance Limited
- Studio E Architects Limited
Criminal convictions for those responsible are not expected until 2027
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division confirmed that criminal prosecutions for those responsible would not take place until 2026 at least: “Our team of specialist prosecutors will then carefully review the file but do not expect to be in a position to make any charging decisions until the end of 2026.”
Other recommendations from the Grenfell Inquiry included:
- A licensing scheme for contractors working on higher risk buildings, managed by the single regulator
- Appointing a chief construction advisor, with committed budget and staff to comprehensively answer minister’s questions on industry issues
- Creating a national authority to administer building control functions, stripping town halls of that power
- The introduction of mandatory fire safety strategies for higher risk buildings
- Requiring the Government to maintain a publicly accessible record of recommendations made by select committees, coroners and public inquiries, documenting actions taken and explanations for those not implemented
building safety minister, Alex Norris, said: “We will continue working closely with industry, local authorities and the Grenfell community to make sure these reforms deliver real, lasting change and rebuild trust.”
Industry figures are awaiting the government’s response to the final Grenfell Inquiry report
Nicola John, managing director of Fire Door Maintenance, part of UAP Ltd, said: “Grenfell was a national tragedy and one that should never have happened. The Inquiry is a step forward, but regulations alone don’t save lives – accountability does. The recommendations made including the creation of a single regulator and stricter licensing are necessary, but the government must remember that safety can’t be a box-ticking exercise.
“The industry must take full responsibility, because cutting corners and passing the buck is what got us here. The government must go further, act faster, and enforce real change.”
