Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many requests for financial assistance to undertake fire safety work from local councils and housing associations has his Department refused since the Grenfell Tower fire; and of each such request what the sum of money applied for was.

The Government has not declined any requests for financial flexibilities to assist local authorities in competing essential fire safety work.

We have listened to what social sector landlords have been telling us about the cost of Aluminium Composite Material cladding systems and the decisions that they are making about how to fund it. The Prime Minister announced on 16 May that the Government will fully fund the removal and replacement of dangerous cladding on building owned by councils and housing associations, with costs estimated at £400 million. We will also continue to offer financial flexibilities for local authorities who need to undertake other essential fire safety work. We want to allocate this funding as soon as possible and we will announce more details shortly, including how we will encourage landlords to continue to pursue other parties for costs where they are responsible or at fault.