Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner committed the Government to ‘greater accountability' and ‘stronger regulation' on building safety as she formally responded to the Grenfell inquiry.
In its full response today, the Government accepted the recommendations of the final report of the inquiry and promised a ‘sweeping transformation to enhance building and fire safety standards.'
The Government confirmed support for a single construction regulator and ‘tougher oversight' of those responsible for testing and certifying construction products.
It also promised stronger and enforceable legal rights to empower residents to hold landlords to account on safety.
The Grenfell inquiry found the fire that resulted in the deaths of 72 people in 2017 was the culmination of ‘decades of failure' by government and regulators of the construction industry.
It also said Kensington and Chelsea LBC's building control bore ‘considerable responsibility', adding the council was ‘unable to provide an effective response' in the wake of the fire.
Rayner said the inquiry's report exposed in ‘stark and devastating detail' the failures that led to the fire and the ‘deep injustices' that survivors have faced.
She said: ‘We are acting on all of the inquiry's findings and today set out our full response, detailing the tough action we are taking to drive change and reform the system to ensure no community will ever have to face a tragedy like Grenfell ever again. That means greater accountability, stronger regulation and putting residents at the heart of decision-making.'
