Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the interim report of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for his Department entitled Fire Performance of Cladding Materials Research – Experimental methodology and performance criteria, whether the proposed methodology will enable his Department to confirm if the samples tested meet the criteria set out in building regulations guidance BR 135.

The research on non- Aluminium Composite Material materials is based on a bespoke test. The classification criteria provided in Annex A and B of BR 135 are only applicable to tests carried out in accordance with BS 8414-1 and BS 8414-2 respectively. These are therefore not applicable to this bespoke methodology.

The findings of the research will help determine, in consultation with the Independent Expert Panel, any further action we should take. This could include further testing at large scale.