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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in the context of Clarion Housing Group’s decision to decant Clare House, if he will urgently commission independent research into the progress of steps taken by social landlords to (a) undertake works to make safe Large Panel System Bison-design tower blocks and (b) move tenants and leaseholders out of those blocks since 2017.

The Government is actively raising awareness and facilitating the dissemination of best practice for large panel system buildings with those responsible for their maintenance. In addition, the government has established a new Building Safety Regulator, empowered under the Building Safety Bill. This regulator will have additional powers as well as duties to help ensure that all blocks of flats – including large panel system building – above 18m in height are safe.