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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has plans to announce a strategy for the removal of flammable cladding from privately-owned tower blocks.

The Government’s priority is to ensure that residents of high-rise (above 18 metres) buildings with unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems are, and feel, safe.

Officials continue to engage with developers, building owners and managing agents with responsibility for buildings with unsafe ACM cladding systems to ensure they are remediated as quickly as possible. We have written to all relevant private sector building owners reminding them of their responsibilities towards making their buildings safe. This includes ensuring that leaseholders are protected from remediation costs. We have reminded building owners that local authorities have powers to enforce these improvements if building owners do not take action. A joint expert inspection team will support local authorities in ensuring and, where necessary, enforcing remediation. We have also created a taskforce, chaired by ministers, to oversee the progress of remediation.