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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to issue a review of Approved Document B (fire safety) for public consultation.

The Coroner’s report into Lakanal House recommended simplifying the fire safety guidance relating to Building Regulations (Approved Document B). This work was being progressed.

Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, we will need to consider the position on guidance further alongside the Prime Minister’s commitment to look at wider issues. This work will now need to be informed by any recommendations that the independent inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire makes.

In the interim, we have set up an expert panel to advise us on any immediate steps that should be taken to ensure fire safety. The role of the expert panel and the advice already given following Grenfell is set out in a note published last week at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-note-on-safety-checks-and-testing