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Raab commits to ban of combustible cladding

Housing minister Dominic Raab committed to a ban of combustible cladding products last night, ahead of a government consultation on the issue which will run until July.

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Appearing on the BBC’s Question Time Programme, Mr Raab said the government has “made it very clear that we will proceed to ban combustible cladding”.

He said the consultation, announced by the housing secretary James Brokenshire yesterday, was simply to establish “the best way to do that”.

Mr Raab said: “There’s a balance between prescriptive banning of things and focusing on systems and enforcement... but we’ve made it very clear that we will proceed to ban combustible cladding and we will consult on the best way to do that.

“The reason we need to consult is that it’s a very complex area and the definition of what counts as combustible in order that the regulations can be enforced. I can give Grenfell United the assurance that we are going to do it.”

 


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The minister’s comments contrast with what Mr Brokenshire told MPs yesterday, when he said: “Having listened carefully to concerns, the government will consult on banning the use of combustible materials in cladding systems on high-rise residential buildings.”

It followed the release of Dame Judith Hackitt’s report on building regulations, which did not recommend a ban – a decision Dame Judith defended in the morning before changing tack after the government’s announcement and insisting recommending a ban was not within her remit.

Mr Raab’s commitment to ban combustible cladding rather than combustible ‘materials’ leaves open the possibility that the government does not intend to ban combustible insulation products of the sort installed on Grenfell Tower, but only cladding products.

 

The consultation is set to run until July.

Building regulations currently allow combustible materials to be used on high rises if they can pass a large scale test or be approved through a desktop study.

They also allow the use of insulation materials of ‘limited combustibility’ to be used without testing, and products in ‘external surfaces’ to be used without testing if they achieve the lower standard of Class 0.

Much of the industry, including officials, before the Grenfell Tower disaster believed cladding panels were therefore required to be Class 0. The material used on Grenfell achieved this rating.

However, since the fire, the government has reinterpreted its guidance to insist cladding panels should be considered insulation, something it had never said publicaly before the fire.

More on the Hackitt Review

More on the Hackitt Review

The Hackitt Review: key recommendations at-a-glance Inside Housing breaks down the key areas of the final report from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations

Brokenshire: government will consult on banning combustible cladding The housing secretary announces a consultation despite the Hackitt Report findings

Dame Judith Hackitt: the interview Dame Judith Hackitt spoke to Inside Housing shortly after releasing her much-anticipated review of building regulations

Final Hackitt report calls for new regulatory body but does not ban combustibles Dame Judith Hackitt has called for a regulatory body to be set up to oversee the safety of buildings, but has stopped short of a prescriptive approach or the banning of dangerous cladding.

Grenfell survivors ‘saddened and disappointed’ by Hackitt report Reaction to Hackitt’s findings decision to ignore calls for a ban on combustible cladding

Never Again campaign

Never Again campaign

In the days following the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017, Inside Housing launched the Never Again campaign to call for immediate action to implement the learning from the Lakanal House fire, and a commitment to act – without delay – on learning from the Grenfell Tower tragedy as it becomes available.

One year on, we have extended the campaign asks in the light of information that has emerged since.

Here are our updated asks:

GOVERNMENT

  • Act on the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building regulations to tower blocks of 18m and higher. Commit to producing a timetable for implementation by autumn 2018, setting out how recommendations that don’t require legislative change can be taken forward without delay
  • Follow through on commitments to fully ban combustible materials on high-rise buildings
  • Unequivocally ban desktop studies
  • Review recommendations and advice given to ministers after the Lakanal House fire and implement necessary changes
  • Publish details of all tower blocks with dangerous cladding, insulation and/or external panels and commit to a timeline for remedial works. Provide necessary guidance to landlords to ensure that removal work can begin on all affected private and social residential blocks by the end of 2018. Complete quarterly follow-up checks to ensure that remedial work is completed to the required standard. Checks should not cease until all work is completed.
  • Stand by the prime minister’s commitment to fully fund the removal of dangerous cladding
  • Fund the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in all tower blocks across the UK (except where there are specific structural reasons not to do so)
  • Explore options for requiring remedial works on affected private sector residential tower blocks

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

  • Take immediate action to identify privately owned residential tower blocks so that cladding and external panels can be checked

LANDLORDS

  • Publish details of the combinations of insulations and cladding materials for all high rise blocks
  • Commit to ensuring that removal work begins on all blocks with dangerous materials by the end of 2018 upon receipt of guidance from government
  • Publish current fire risk assessments for all high rise blocks (the Information Commissioner has required councils to publish and recommended that housing associations should do the same). Work with peers to share learning from assessments and improve and clarify the risk assessment model.
  • Commit to renewing assessments annually and after major repair or cladding work is carried out. Ensure assessments consider the external features of blocks. Always use an appropriate, qualified expert to conduct assessments.
  • Review and update evacuation policies and ‘stay put’ advice in the light of risk assessments, and communicate clearly to residents
  • Adopt Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommended approach for listening to and addressing tenants’ concerns, with immediate effect

CURRENT SIGNATORIES:

  • Chartered Institute of Housing
  • G15
  • National Federation of ALMOs
  • National Housing Federation
  • Placeshapers

 

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