“Stronger standards and training” set to improve building safety

The Government is firmly focused on taking robust action to address the problems identified by the Public Inquiry and build a regulatory system that people trust to ensure homes are safe.

A Call for Evidence has been launched to drive a new Building Professions Strategy, exploring how practitioners from designers to contractors actually work during all stages of the building process.   

The strategy, which is to be based on evidence of what works, is set to be published in 2027. It will provide a clear view on the skills, experience and accountabilities required of those operating across the building process, in turn ensuring a skilled workforce equipped to deliver safe and sustainable buildings.

Additionally, the Government has marked the first step in delivering a new College of Fire and Rescue. This will help to strengthen the professionalism and skills of leaders and firefighters across the Fire and Rescue sector, improve consistency of standards across Fire and Rescue Services and widen access to Best Practice, duly resulting in a better and more efficient operation for the public.

The consultation that has launched seeks views from the sector and the public to help shape the College of Fire and Rescue’s design. It seeks views on:

*the strategic aims that the College of Fire and Rescue should seek to achieve

*the functions it could fulfil

*potential delivery and funding models 

*interaction between the College of Fire and Rescue and the National Framework, which sets out the Government’s priorities for Fire and Rescue Authorities

*legislative requirements to support the establishment of the College of Fire and Rescue

High standards and responsibility  

Samantha Dixon (Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy) commented: “The Grenfell tragedy should never have happened. We remain committed to learning from it and acting on the failings that the tragedy exposed. High standards, responsibility and safety must underpin the whole building process and be upheld by everyone across the profession.”

Dixon added: “The measures we’ve announced are an important step towards cementing these standards and delivering on our commitment of safe homes that are fit for the future.”

As reported by Fire Safety Matters, The King’s Speech confirmed plans to introduce a Remediation Bill, which will drive forward the remediation of historic unsafe cladding even faster: removing barriers, ensuring that buildings are fixed faster and allowing residents to feel safer in their homes.

Other measures announced include plans to work in partnership with the Building Control sector to reform the system to protect future growth and maintain standards, accepting recommendations made by the Building Control Independent Panel, and a Public Engagement Policy which advises ministers and senior civil servants not to attend certain public events with the seven most highly criticised companies in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report, unless for very specific reasons.

Quarterly progress report

The updates come as the Government publishes the next quarterly progress report on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

As well as the measures set out above, the Government has acted on and confirmed the closure of nine further recommendations relating to the construction industry and response and recovery, bringing the total number of completed recommendations to 21.  

The Government is working closely with the local community, industry and local authorities alike across all recommendations in order to deliver safer homes and lasting change.