New inquiry: Pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Building Safety Bill

5 Aug 2020 11:58 AM

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has announced a new inquiry to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Building Safety Bill.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has announced a new inquiry to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Building Safety Bill.

The draft bill sets out how the Government intends to put into law the policies set out in its earlier consultation, and effect change that reflects the principles and recommendations of the Hackitt report into building regulations and fire safety.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee will undertake detailed examination of the draft Bill to assess its policy objectives, key provisions and likely impact against its aims in five key areas set out in the Government’s consultation: accountability; residents’ voice; enforcement and sanctions; product testing and the regulatory system.

This will include assessment of:

Chair's comments

Announcing the new inquiry, Clive Betts MP said:

“The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has dedicated significant time over the last two years to understand what lessons need to be learned from the failures that led to the Grenfell disaster and are committed to ensuring that reforms are in place to make sure the same mistakes cannot be repeated.

“We must ensure that the lasting legacy of Grenfell isn’t just improvements to the rules and regulations governing how buildings should be made safe. It is vital that there is meaningful and lasting reform that empowers residents and gives them more say in how buildings are run. We must also examine how well the Government’s proposed legislation meets their commitment to implement the recommendations of the Hackitt review.

“There must also be greater accountability built into the system to make sure that there is no repeat of the current situation that many leaseholders find themselves in, bearing the cost for removing potentially flammable cladding installed on their buildings that they had no say in.

“The draft bill must enable profound change of the regulatory system, give greater clarity of the rights of residents and toughen the responsibilities of builders, developers and freeholders. This is the standard we will hold the Government to as we investigate its proposals.”

Further information