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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the ability of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to effectively manage the casework involved in rehousing Grenfell Tower residents.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has committed to provide survivors from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk with a permanent new home in social housing within one year of the fire.

Following the fire, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government set up the independent Grenfell Recovery Taskforce to provide assurance that RBKC has the capacity and capability to deliver an effective long term recovery plan for its residents, taking into account their views.

In its first report in November 2017, the Taskforce identified four key areas in which the Council need to step up: pace, innovation, skills and empathy. The Taskforce is due to report to the Secretary of State at the end of February on RBKC’s progress in implementing those recommendations and he will provide an update to the House.

It is important that the rehousing proceeds at a pace which respects the needs, wants and situations of survivors and I expect the Council to do whatever is necessary to ensure households can move into settled homes as swiftly as possible. Both my Department and the independent Taskforce will continue to monitor the situation carefully. Ministers continue to meet regularly with RBKC Councillors, and officials from my Department also meet regularly with RBKC officials to ensure the Council can meet its commitment.