You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Government backs findings of interim building regulations review
The government has accepted the findings of Dame Judith Hackitt’s interim review into building regulations and fire safety.
Communities secretary Sajid Javid told the House of Commons this afternoon that the current building regulations system is “complex and confusing – a situation that has developed over many years and under successive governments”.
Mr Javid told MPs that Dame Judith’s review, which was commissioned by the government, shows there is a need for “significant reform and I can confirm that the government has accepted all of Dame Judith’s recommendations”.
He said: “We agree with her call for a change in culture and a more effective system that will encourage people to do the right thing and hold to account those who try to cut corners.”
While Dame Judith has not published any recommendations, she concluded that the current system of building regulations and guidance are not fit for purpose and the government needs to strengthen enforcement powers against organisations that fail to follow regulations, and to improve residents’ ability to raise concerns about safety.
READ MORE
Mr Javid said that while Dame Judith’s review is ongoing, the government can make a start on “restructuring guidance and tightening restrictions on the use of desktop studies”, which are used to test the fire safety of particular construction materials such as cladding.
He said the government will revise the guidance on fire safety to make it clearer and commission work to produce a new British Standard for when desktop studies can be used.
He added: “More widely, we will consider how the entire suite of guidance in compliance with building regulations can be restructured to make it more user friendly.”
Dame Judith also said fire services should be consulted with early on in the building approval process and acted on. Mr Javid said he will write to building control bodies to highlight this recommendation.
He said: “The government will play its part in making the system work better and fixing the problems. I urge the construction industry, the building control bodies, the fire and rescue services, landlords and others to play their parts too.”
Labour’s shadow secretary of state for housing John Healey asked why the government had not reviewed the fire safety guidance as promised in 2013, after the Lakanal House coroner’s recommendations were published.
What is the Hackitt Review?
Following the Grenfell Fire in June, which killed 71 people, questions were raised about the part that building regulations played in the tragedy.
On 28 July, Amber Rudd, the home secretary, and Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt to conduct a review into building regulations and fire safety.
The review, which is being carried out independently of government, has a particular focus on regulations as they apply to high-rise residential buildings.
The review's interim findings were reported in December 2017.
Who is Dame Judith Hackitt?
Dame Judith is an engineer with extensive experience in the chemicals industry and former civil servant. She formerly chaired watchdog the Health and Safety Executive and is currently chair of manufacturing trade body EEF.
In 2006, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to health and safety and in 2016 was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
