Photo Credit: By Jessica Taylor – https://members.parliament.uk/member/4641/portrait, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=151457483

UK government responds to Grenfell inquiry recommendations

The UK’s new fire minister has set out the government’s approach to building safety and fire policy reform in a wide-ranging session before the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.

As reported by the UK Parliament’s Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Fire Minister Alex Norris MP appeared alongside Ben Llewellyn, interim Director General for Buildings, Resilience and Fire, and Catherine Adams, Director of Building Systems and Insight, to answer questions about the government’s progress in response to the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry.

Norris confirmed that remediation of unsafe buildings remains a core priority, alongside regulatory reform, resident engagement, and improved fire sector governance.

The government is also bringing forward new legislation, including mandatory personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for high-rise residential buildings and construction product reform.

Remediation timelines and enforcement measures

The government has set a target to complete remediation of high-rise residential buildings with unsafe cladding by 2029.

Norris said the current pace represents an improvement from the trajectory he inherited, which would have pushed completion into the 2040s.

He stated: “We are now getting to a phase where those buildings are being done not by the end of the decade, which is the target, but much sooner than that.”

He said enforcement will play a larger role moving forward and noted that building owners are already legally responsible for safety.

Future primary legislation may include backstop powers to compel action.

He added that legislation would simplify enforcement processes and expand data requirements for 11–18 metre buildings.

Oversight, transparency and national mechanisms

The government will publish quarterly updates on Grenfell recommendations on gov.uk and provide an annual update to Parliament.

Norris said: “It will be done recommendation by recommendation: ‘Here’s what we’re doing. Here’s our progress. Here’s what is going to happen next.’”

While a public tracker will be available, the Fire Minister said the decision on a formal national oversight mechanism remains under review by the Cabinet Office.

He also confirmed that the ministerial tracker in use internally will reflect what is published publicly and acknowledged calls from bereaved families for more transparent engagement.

Engagement with Grenfell bereaved and leaseholders

The government is maintaining contact with Grenfell survivors and bereaved families, including those based overseas.

Norris said: “We will meet in the evening, in the day and on weekends, because we want to hear those voices.”

On the decision to deconstruct Grenfell Tower, Norris said: “I believe strongly, in my heart of hearts, that the answer is yes [they were consulted].

However, if a single person says we failed, that matters much more than what I think.”

Norris also confirmed he meets regularly with End Our Cladding Scandal and is reviewing the implications for non-qualifying leaseholders affected by non-cladding defects.

Social housing voice and regulation

Improving the voice of social housing tenants was highlighted as a central concern.

The government is continuing its Four Million Homes campaign and expanding the Regulator of Social Housing’s remit.

Norris said: “If you do not know what those rights are and how to exercise them, how can you drive change?”

He acknowledged that social tenants often feel unheard and that complaints are not resolved promptly.

The government’s aim is to reduce the need for escalation by improving local resolution mechanisms.

Fire services governance and cultural change

Responsibility for fire policy has been transferred from the Home Office to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Norris now leads fire reform and confirmed plans for an independent college of fire and rescue.

He said the college will support research, training and cultural change.

He added: “Culture will be top of my inbox,” referencing findings from the Home Affairs Committee about bullying and harassment in fire services.

The government will continue working with the inspectorate and maintain a memorandum of understanding with HMICFRS.

New construction regulator and regulation reform

Plans for a single national construction regulator are advancing.

The Fire Minister confirmed that a prospectus will be published in autumn 2025 and legislation will follow.

Dame Judith Hackitt will chair an independent panel on building control reform.

Norris said: “There has been too much fragmentation, which has led to a lack of accountability.”

He said the regulator will have a “maximalist” remit but that product testing and certification may sit outside the regulator to avoid conflicts of interest.

Capacity, planning and workforce development

The government will launch trailblazer programmes and support professional development for fire and building safety roles, including a new chief resilience officer model.

Norris acknowledged workforce gaps and said building control faces future challenges if recruitment does not increase.

He confirmed additional funding is being given to the Building Safety Regulator and local resilience forums.

He said the government’s target of 1.5 million homes will not be compromised by safety efforts: “This is not seen as a trade-off, negotiation or bargain.”

UK fire minister outlines building safety and fire reform plans in committee session: Summary

Alex Norris MP has set out the UK government’s position on building safety, fire governance and Grenfell-related reforms in evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.

Remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding is targeted for completion by 2029.

Quarterly updates will be published publicly.

The Cabinet Office is reviewing whether to implement a national oversight mechanism.

New regulations on personal evacuation plans will be introduced by mid-2025.

A single construction regulator will be created following a public prospectus in autumn 2025. Legislation will follow.

The government will also move forward with construction product reform.

Fire responsibilities have transferred to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

An independent college of fire and rescue will be established.

The government confirmed plans to improve tenant voice and regulatory oversight.

The Regulator of Social Housing and Housing Ombudsman will continue to be monitored.

Support for building control capacity, fire reform, and resilience planning will be increased.

Trailblazer funding and professional roles such as chief resilience officers will be tested.

The Building Safety Regulator and Homes England are receiving additional funding to accelerate enforcement and approval processes.