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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, or intend to make, of the effectiveness of legislation mandating the provision of means of escape for (1) residential buildings, and (2) office buildings in preventing injury or deaths in fires.

The Government has commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt to lead an independent review of the Building Regulations and fire safety system. Any decision on future fire safety requirements will be taken following the completion of that review, which is expected to be published this Spring, and will involve consideration of the likely impact of those changes. The department is taking preliminary steps to gather information that would assist us in doing so.