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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government's proposals to extend permitted development rights to include upwards extensions to free standing blocks of flats over five storeys, what assessment he has made of the (a) consistency of those proposals with the recommendations of the Hackitt Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety and (b) effect of those proposals on fire safety in high rise blocks.

Building Regulations apply when building work is undertaken, irrespective of whether a permitted development right is in place under planning legislation. Any changes made to Building Regulations arising from the recommendations made by Dame Judith Hackitt similarly will apply irrespective of whether a permitted development right in place. We will say more about our plans for taking forward Dame Judith’s recommendations later this year.