Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason the application to the Building Safety Fund to replace exterior zinc cladding on wooden battens at the Gateway building in Leeds was refused.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 64550 on 1 November 2021 and to the eligibility criteria for the Building Safety Fund. Building owners are made aware of why their building is ineligible when a decision is made.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the installation of sprinklers in a building over 18 metres in height is sufficient to give it a B1 or higher safety rating.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government has always been clear that a risk-based professional judgement should be made regarding the safety of a building's external wall system and would encourage building owners to consult a competent professional who will be able to advise.
A number of factors should be considered when considering the external walls of buildings such as building height, cavity barrier provision, ability to pass a large-scale test (i.e., BS 8414/BR135) and consideration of other fire safety measures such as sprinklers. We cannot comment on specific building situations, however we would always encourage those undertaking these assessments to use an approach proportionate to the level of risk in each building.
We are developing more risk-proportionate guidelines for fire risk assessors, including PAS 9980 and new statutory fire safety guidance.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether buildings with external zinc cladding attached to timber battens would qualify for an A1, A2, A3 or B1 fire safety rating.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government has always been clear that a risk-based professional judgement should be made regarding the safety of a building's external wall system and would encourage building owners to consult a competent professional who will be able to advise.
A number of factors should be considered when considering the external walls of buildings such as building height, cavity barrier provision, ability to pass a large-scale test (i.e., BS 8414/BR135) and consideration of other fire safety measures such as sprinklers. We cannot comment on specific building situations, however we would always encourage those undertaking these assessments to use an approach proportionate to the level of risk in each building.
We are developing more risk-proportionate guidelines for fire risk assessors, including PAS 9980 and new statutory fire safety guidance.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what progress is being made with the application to the Building Safety Fund in respect of X1 Aire, Cross Green Lane, Leeds, LS9 8BJ.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Department has received a registration to the Building Safety Fund for the above building. The Department has recently received further information regarding the building. This is being reviewed by the DLUHC technical team for a determination on whether the building is eligible for funding.
The Department is continuing to work with building owners to progress their registrations for the Building Safety Fund. Progress is communicated to registrants who we expect will ensure that their residents are kept fully informed.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what technical reason the Reinzink and Nedzinc wall systems on The Gateway building in central Leeds were rejected for funding from the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Eligibility for the Building Safety Fund is determined in reference to the criteria listed in Prospectus Annex A: Technical Information of the Building Safety Fund Prospectus. It is available here: www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#prospectus---outlining-eligibility-for-the-fund These criteria, informed by a series of full-scale fire tests published by the DLUHC, are designed to find eligible the most unsafe forms of cladding system.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the replacement of (a) Reinzink and (b) Nedzinc wall systems is eligible for funding from the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
With reference to the Building Safety Fund eligibility criteria, as both Rheinzinc and Nedzinc cladding panels are non-combustible and have a classification of A1, they would need to be present in combination with combustible insulation that meets the eligibility criteria in order to be found eligible. More information on the eligibility criteria for the Building Safety Fund can be found in Prospectus Annex A: Technical Information of the Building Safety Fund Prospectus, available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#prospectus---outlining-eligibility-for-the-fund.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has received a report from Homes England on the cladding problems at Trinity One, LS9; and when he plans to reach a decision on that building's bid to the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Department and its delivery partner Homes England are working with the representatives of the building owner of Trinity One to progress its application for the Building Safety Fund as soon as possible.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many leaseholders have raised concerns about schedule 9 of the Building Safety Fund funding agreement; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Department has committed to publish the full Grant Funding Agreement for the Building Safety Fund. Schedule 9 is the Certificate of Compliance which applicants must sign at certain points of their remediation project to verify that it meets the Building Safety Fund technical and safety requirements. This will make sure that works are performed correctly and to required standards, so that leaseholders’ and residents’ homes are made safe. We are not aware of leaseholders raising concern about the Certificate of Compliance.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make available in the Library a copy of schedule 9 of the Funding Agreement of the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Department has committed to publish the full Grant Funding Agreement for the Building Safety Fund. Schedule 9 is the Certificate of Compliance which applicants must sign at certain points of their remediation project to verify that it meets the Building Safety Fund technical and safety requirements. This will make sure that works are performed correctly and to required standards, so that leaseholders’ and residents’ homes are made safe. We are not aware of leaseholders raising concern about the Certificate of Compliance.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether Cartier House, Leeds Dock, has been successful in its bid for funding from the Building Safety fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Department and its delivery partner Homes England are working with the representatives of the building owner of Cartier House to assist in progressing its application for the Building Safety Fund.