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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for a statutory maximum height for care homes to enable reasonable escape provisions in the event of fires, particularly taking into account the prevalence of (1) reduced mobility, and (2) dementia, of such residents.

On 18 December, the Government published, a call for evidence to form the basis for a technical review of Approved Document B (Fire Safety). Paragraphs 35 to 36 address the issue of means of escape for disabled people. The call for evidence closed on 15 March 2019 and the Department published in September 2019 an analysis of the responses to the call for evidence which is available (attached) at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/technical-review-of-approved-document-b-of-the-building-regulations-a-call-for-evidence

The Secretary of State announced in his letter to the House on 20 January 2020 that he will set out detailed plans for the full technical review of fire safety guidance in February, including a review of means of escape for disabled people.