Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to provide financial support to leaseholders of properties with flammable cladding that are under 18 metres in height.
Government intervention to provide £600 million funding for the removal on unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding on high-rise (over 18 metres) buildings is wholly exceptional. It is based on the unparalleled fire risk ACM poses, very real public safety concerns and the abject failure of many building owners to do the right thing by their residents.
We are focusing on buildings over 18 metres as they are subject to tougher buildings restrictions, as set out in Approved Document B, including restrictions on the types of material that can be used on external wall systems. The Department is currently reviewing Approved Document B, and this guidance is currently out for consultation.
Government intervention does not remove responsibility for overall building safety from the building owner and if fire safety risks are uncovered, they must remedy them.