Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department will consider updating Building Regulations to mandate permanent concrete access slopes over portable ramps for commercial premises.

The Government has no current plans to update Part M of the Building Regulations 2010, which already require that reasonable provision must be made for people to gain access to and use a building and its facilities. The Building Regulations apply to new building work and are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare. They are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Documents which set out how new building work might meet requirements of Building Regulations in common building situations. Performance standards in Building Regulations do not apply to established buildings where, as set out in section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, service providers are subject to an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that customers with differing needs may use their premises and facilities. The Building Safety Act 2022 requires the Building Safety Regulator to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review; Building Regulations can then be updated as needed.