Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his oral contribution of 10 January 2022, Official Report column 283, what rights leaseholders who believe that unnecessary remediation work has been recommended for their building have to challenge an EWS1 assessment.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
An EWS1 assessment is as a valuation tool and is not a safety assessment. We have been clear that EWS1 should not be a requirement on buildings below 18 metres. We have withdrawn the Consolidated Advice Note which has been wrongly interpreted and ensure that it is not used to justify disproportionate assessment and unnecessary EWS1 forms.
Where remediation of a building is recommended by an assessor, material supporting this conclusion should be transparent and there should be evidence that alternatives, such as management or mitigation, have been clearly considered. Leaseholders who wish to challenge proposed remediation works should ask their building owner if there is a clear reason why an EWS1 is needed, for example the block of flats over 18 metres high. If the building is lower, an expert panel commissioned by Government, has recommended that an EWS1 should not be needed, although some lenders may still request one. Leaseholders can ask whether costs can be met via warranty or insurance. Leaseholders can also ask the building owner to seek a second opinion from another fire risk assessor.
For free initial advice on residential leasehold, leaseholders can contact LEASE, an organisation supported by government.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the £27 million in extra funding for ending waking watches announced in Parliament on 10 January 2022 will become available to leaseholders; and whether buildings under between 11 and 18 metres in height will be able to access that funding.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The additional £27 million funding scheme announced on 10 January 2022, on top of the existing £35 million already being provided, to pay for the installation of fire alarm systems in buildings with a waking watch, opened on 27 January 2022. It will cover all buildings in England with a waking watch regardless of height or the reason for the waking watch being in place.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department’s current non-executive directors were appointed; what oversight officials had of Ministerial appointments of those non-executive directors; and what assessment was made of their experience against the requirements for breadth and depth of experience set out in the Cabinet Office guidance on Departmental Boards of November 2014.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Departments follow the principles set out in Cabinet Office/HM Treasury 'Corporate governance in central government departments: code of good practice'. Information on all appointments can be found on the Government website.
Asked by: Florence Eshalomi (Labour (Co-op) - Vauxhall)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what declarations of interests have been made by his Department’s non-executive directors; and where that information is published.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Non-executive directors comply with the provisions of the Cabinet Office's Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies which will be available on Gov.uk.