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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2019 to Question 265494 on fire extinguishers, if he will publish any assessment carried out by his Department into the cost of retrofitting sprinklers for (a) public buildings and (b) all high-rise buildings.

As part of our work on fire safety, we have investigated the costs of a wide range of fire protection measures. The costs of retrofitting sprinklers varies widely depending on the nature and construction of the building in question. Building owners should assess the risks based on the building design and take action, in consultation with residents, if necessary.

The cost of installing sprinkler systems in new buildings is covered in a report commissioned my Department and published on 1 February this year which is available on line at; https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783478/WS_5_DCLG_BD_2887__D27V1__286859_Final_Work_Stream_5_Report.pdf