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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons whole-system tests of cladding were not undertaken alongside testing samples of cladding material after the Grenfell Tower fire.

The immediate priority following the Grenfell Tower fire was to identify what type of Aluminium Composite Material cladding was being used, and on how many buildings. Based on that evidence, the decision to undertake whole-system tests of cladding has been taken in response to advice from the expert panel advising the Government on fire safety.

On 6 July we published details of further tests to be carried out as the next step in helping landlords to ensure the safety of their buildings. These large scale tests will help establish how different types of ACM panels in combination with different types of insulation behave in a fire. Further detail about the next testing stage can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/expert-panel-recommends-further-tests-on-cladding-and-insulation