Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has (a) funded, (b) awarded contracts to and (c) procured the services of the Integrity Initiative in each financial year since 2015-16.
Answered by Jake Berry
The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government has provided no funding, contracts or procured services from the Integrity Initiative.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities his Department assesses to be a financial risk.
Answered by Rishi Sunak
The Department constantly reviews the challenges facing the sector and individual authorities, including financial risk. Following the consultation on the 2018/19 Local Government Finance Settlement, all councils have set a balanced budget for the financial year 2018-19. Councils have access to sector support led by the Local Government Association for which the Department has provided £20 million this year.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has issued a directive to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to use some of its financial reserves to buy available residential accommodation for those made homeless by the Grenfell fire.
Answered by Lord Sharma
Our priority is ensuring that survivors from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk are provided with a permanent new home in social housing within one year of the fire. We are working closely with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to support them to deliver this commitment.
RBKC has said that rehousing Grenfell survivors continues to be a priority and plan to spend an additional £155 million in capital funding on providing the homes needed. This is on top of the £80 million they have already reported spending on rehousing.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has provided financial or material assistance to the Kids on the Green community group for the children affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.
Answered by Lord Sharma
My Department provided £1.1 million to the Community Core Costs Fund. This was set up to fund organisations providing immediate community support following the Grenfell Tower fire and was managed by London Funders. Kids on the Green were successful in their application. They received £10,000 to go towards the running costs for a play-based group operating from a local green space and the provision of targeted therapist support.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2017 to Question 750, on building regulations: fires, when the Government plans to publish the outcome of the review of fire safety guidance as a result of the fire at Lakanal House in 2013.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The Coroner’s report into the Lakanal House fire recommended that the fire safety guidance in Approved Document B be reviewed to provide clearer guidance. In February of this year, the Department published a report into the usability of the guidance. The Department has been working on a revision of the guidance in Approved Document B in line with the Plain English principles.
The Government has subsequently asked Dame Judith Hackitt to lead an independent review of the Building Regulations and fire safety, and will determine what further action is needed in light of her recommendations, which was recommended by the Coroner, following the Lakanal House fire.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2017 to Question 750, on building regulations: fires, what the evidential basis is for progress having been made on the review of fire safety guidance since the fire at Lakanal House in 2013.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The Coroner’s report into the Lakanal House fire recommended that the fire safety guidance in Approved Document B be reviewed to provide clearer guidance. In February of this year, the Department published a report into the usability of the guidance. The Department has also been working on a revision of the guidance in Approved Document B in line with Plain English principles.
The Government has asked Dame Judith Hackitt to lead an independent review of the Building Regulations and fire safety, and will determine what further action is needed in light of her recommendations.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2017 to Question 4449, if the Government will make an assessment of the merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on installing automatic fire suppression systems in all new residential premises, student accommodation and nurse's houses, including buildings under 30 metres.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The Government will consider this issue in light of the Independent Review on Building Regulations and Fire Safety, the findings of the Public Inquiry and ongoing work to review regulations.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2017 to Question 750, on building regulations: fires, if the Government will make an assessment of the merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require the retrofitting of automatic fire suppression systems in all residential premises.
Answered by Lord Sharma
There has been a requirement in Building Regulations guidance since 2007 for new flats over 30 metres to have a sprinkler system. Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower the Prime Minister has committed to look at wider issues.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2017 to Question 750, on building regulations: fires, when his Department plans to publish new fire safety guidance.
Answered by Lord Sharma
Work to simplify the guidance 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.