Fire safety experts shut out of Hackitt review

An All Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group meeting in the House of Lords revealed that the group has not been excluded from being part of key advisory groups within the review, which is being led by Dame Judith Hackitt (pictured). 

These working groups have been set a deadline of the first week of March to provide answers to a set list of questions, but the agendas and minutes of the meetings must remain confidential. 

The All Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group secretary Ronnie King said that his group has been established for more than 20 years but has been informed that it would not have a place on any of the inquiry’s working groups. Mr King said: “We bid for six places on the working groups, of which some have 12 to 14 people on them, but the places were all taken."

In a statement to Sky News, a spokesman for Dame Judith said: “The working groups have representatives from a wide range of organisations and experts in their field and members of the working groups have been encouraged to engage with a wide range of organisations."