Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Grenfell Tower Fire, what assessment they have made of the potential contingent liabilities held by those energy companies, and their subsidiaries, who installed external wall insulation on social high rise tower blocks under the Energy Efficiency Commitment, the Community Energy Saving Programme, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance, and the Energy Company Obligation.

BEIS analysis shows that around 272,300 properties have received external wall insulation under Government schemes since 2008 and that 970 were high rise buildings.

Energy efficiency schemes prior to ECO, including ECO1 (January 2013 – March 2015) are closed and final determination of carbon targets and bill saving targets has concluded. Any solid wall insulation delivered under ECO since April 2015 that does not meet the relevant compliance requirements, including compliance with building regulations and fire safety, would not count towards the supplier obligation.

BEIS is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to understand the number of tower blocks that may have been delivered under ECO since 2015. If appropriate, Government will seek remedial action by the supplier for measures delivered since April 2015. Remedial action required may vary depending on the materials used for each tower block.