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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will issue guidance on the use of EWS1 forms so that mortgage lenders cannot insist on them for buildings under 18m.

The EWS1 was developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in response to mortgage lender concerns about cladding on high-rise residential buildings, although the Government is aware that some lenders are requesting the assessment for lower-rise blocks. Property valuation arrangements are commercial decisions for individual lenders, but Government is supporting lenders as they review their approach to risk. The Minister for Building Safety will follow up his June lender roundtable at the end of this month to ensure that progress has been made.