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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's new s story entitled Government announces new housing measures, published on 1 October 2018, whether he plans to extend the ban on combustible materials to all schools irrespective of height.

The Government consulted on applying the ban to residential buildings with a top storey more than 18 metres above ground level, in line with current Building Regulations guidance. The majority of respondents to the consultation showed support for this height threshold and it will be used as the basis for the ban, to be consistent with current guidance.

To protect children and young people, the ban will extend to all student accommodation and residential accommodation in schools, for buildings over 18 metres. Schools can be evacuated within a matter of minutes in the event of a fire. Every school must have a Fire Risk Assessment and new schools undergo an additional check while being designed. The Government will review the 18 metres height threshold as part of the wider technical review of the Building Regulations for fire safety set to start in the autumn.