Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what further steps his Department has taken, in addition to writing an open letter to building control companies, in response to Kingspan Insulation Ltd withdrawing the three test reports on the safety of its K15 insulation.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
On 10 March 2021 we issued a letter to fire safety professionals and building control bodies reminding them that Kingspan has retracted three test reports. The letter is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-building-control-bodies-on-the-retraction-of-three-tests-carried-out-on-kingspan-k15-insulation
The letter recommends that fire safety professionals and buildings control bodies review their records to check that any assessments they have carried out using these tests are identified and revisited in light of the information highlighted during the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The content of this letter is not new and is simply a reminder of the steps they should take in light of this information.
On 5 July 2021, the Government introduced the Building Safety Bill which set out the biggest reforms to building safety regulation for a generation, including provisions to strengthen and extend the scope of the powers available to the Government to regulate construction products.
The Bill will require manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe before putting them on the United Kingdom market. It also paves the way for a national regulator for construction products being set up within the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to oversee the new regime. The regulator will have robust inspection, market surveillance and enforcement capability so unsafe products can be removed from the market.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the impact on the housing market of mortgage providers that have not adopted the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors EWS1 guidance.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is assured that most major lenders, about 80% of the mortgage market, have adopted the approach in the RICS EWS1 guidance or already take a significantly less risk averse approach. The Government has not said that 20% of lenders have not adopted the RICS EWS1 guidance: our efforts have been focussed on the lenders with the largest share of the market, so this does not necessarily mean that the remaining 20% of market share, made up of much smaller lenders, are not using the RICS guidance.
The Department frequently engages with the industry and will continue to challenge them on the use of the EWS1 process, as well as pressing for more data transparency on how the RICS guidance is being applied, and the effect of the process on mortgage applications. We already know, via data from one major lender, that an EWS1 already exists for 50% of mortgage applications where one is requested, and we are working with industry to ensure this picture only improves.
We will continue to work with lenders to enable them to understand and accept other forms of assurance such as a comprehensive fire risk assessment which includes the external walls or post 2018 building control sign off for high rise blocks.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on improving the adoption rates of the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors EWS1 guidance throughout the mortgage providing industry.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is assured that most major lenders, about 80% of the mortgage market, have adopted the approach in the RICS EWS1 guidance or already take a significantly less risk averse approach. The Government has not said that 20% of lenders have not adopted the RICS EWS1 guidance: our efforts have been focussed on the lenders with the largest share of the market, so this does not necessarily mean that the remaining 20% of market share, made up of much smaller lenders, are not using the RICS guidance.
The Department frequently engages with the industry and will continue to challenge them on the use of the EWS1 process, as well as pressing for more data transparency on how the RICS guidance is being applied, and the effect of the process on mortgage applications. We already know, via data from one major lender, that an EWS1 already exists for 50% of mortgage applications where one is requested, and we are working with industry to ensure this picture only improves.
We will continue to work with lenders to enable them to understand and accept other forms of assurance such as a comprehensive fire risk assessment which includes the external walls or post 2018 building control sign off for high rise blocks.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what impact assessment his Department has undertaken of the potential risks of associated with 20 per cent of banks, building societies and mortgage lenders not adopting the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors EWS1 guidance.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is assured that most major lenders, about 80% of the mortgage market, have adopted the approach in the RICS EWS1 guidance or already take a significantly less risk averse approach. The Government has not said that 20% of lenders have not adopted the RICS EWS1 guidance: our efforts have been focussed on the lenders with the largest share of the market, so this does not necessarily mean that the remaining 20% of market share, made up of much smaller lenders, are not using the RICS guidance.
The Department frequently engages with the industry and will continue to challenge them on the use of the EWS1 process, as well as pressing for more data transparency on how the RICS guidance is being applied, and the effect of the process on mortgage applications. We already know, via data from one major lender, that an EWS1 already exists for 50% of mortgage applications where one is requested, and we are working with industry to ensure this picture only improves.
We will continue to work with lenders to enable them to understand and accept other forms of assurance such as a comprehensive fire risk assessment which includes the external walls or post 2018 building control sign off for high rise blocks.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with banks, building societies and mortgage lenders on encouraging the adoption of the revised Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors guidance on EWS1.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is assured that most major lenders, about 80% of the mortgage market, have adopted the approach in the RICS EWS1 guidance or already take a significantly less risk averse approach. The Government has not said that 20% of lenders have not adopted the RICS EWS1 guidance: our efforts have been focussed on the lenders with the largest share of the market, so this does not necessarily mean that the remaining 20% of market share, made up of much smaller lenders, are not using the RICS guidance.
The Department frequently engages with the industry and will continue to challenge them on the use of the EWS1 process, as well as pressing for more data transparency on how the RICS guidance is being applied, and the effect of the process on mortgage applications. We already know, via data from one major lender, that an EWS1 already exists for 50% of mortgage applications where one is requested, and we are working with industry to ensure this picture only improves.
We will continue to work with lenders to enable them to understand and accept other forms of assurance such as a comprehensive fire risk assessment which includes the external walls or post 2018 building control sign off for high rise blocks.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the current shortage of safe cladding materials does not negatively effect the rollout of the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Department officials are currently using their ongoing engagement with industry to ensure that any potential implications for the remediation programme are understood and action is taken where needed to ensure that the Government’s priorities for building safety are met.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect of the proposed cladding loan scheme, for leaseholders living in buildings with fire safety faults, on disabled or older people’s incomes who are supported solely by state benefits or pensions.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We are continuing to develop a financing scheme using a range of evidence to ensure that it protects all types of leaseholders and will prioritise affordability and accelerate remediation. We are working on the underpinning details and will announce further information as soon as we are in a position to do so.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of the proposed cladding loan scheme, for leaseholders living in buildings with fire safety faults, on disabled or older people’s incomes who are supported solely by state benefits or pensions.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We are continuing to develop a financing scheme using a range of evidence to ensure that it protects all types of leaseholders and will prioritise affordability and accelerate remediation. We are working on the underpinning details and will announce further information as soon as we are in a position to do so.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for Disabled Facilities Grants to include emergency evacuation from buildings at risk of fire safety faults.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Anyone can already apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant to contribute to the capital cost of adapting their home, including to facilitate access in and out of their building or around the common parts of their building, subject to a needs assessment, eligibility criteria, and a means test. This includes in buildings at risk of fire safety faults.
Asked by: Shabana Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Ladywood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what financial support is available to people with disabilities who live in buildings with fire safety faults to install evacuation aids to facilitate safe evacuation in event of a fire.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Under the Building Safety Programme, the Government has intervened with an unprecedented over £5 billion investment in building safety, to fully fund the remediation of unsafe cladding for leaseholders in all residential buildings 18 metres and over in England. Lower rise buildings, with a lower risk to safety, will also gain new protection from costs of cladding removal with a generous new scheme offered to buildings between 11 and 18 metres in height. We have also launched a £30 million fund to install fire alarms in high-rise buildings, relieving residents of waking watch costs.
The Government-funded Disabled Facilities Grant can contribute to the capital cost of adapting an eligible persons home, including to facilitate access in and out of their building or around the common parts of their building, subject to a needs assessment, eligibility criteria, and a means test. This includes in buildings at risk of fire safety faults.
The Fire Safety Order (FSO) applies to the non-domestic parts of multi occupied residential premises. Responsible Persons (who may be building owners) under the FSO have a duty to take such general fire precautions as are reasonably required to ensure the safety of premises. Such precautions include measures to reduce the risk of fire on the premises, measures relating to means of escape from the premises and ensuring these can be safely and effectively used, and measures to mitigate the effect of fire.