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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what advice he can give to leaseholders in buildings below 18 metres in height, where mortgage lenders are refusing to give mortgages without an EWS1 form, despite the Government's clarification that EWS1 forms are not needed in buildings of that size.

An independent expert statement in July this year was clear that there is no systemic risk of fire in residential buildings under 18 metres and that EWS1 forms should not be required by lenders on buildings under 18 metres. The Government strongly supports this position and made this clear in its written statement of 21 July.