Cladding Remediation - Follow-up

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 25 Feb 2021 Closed: 16 May 2022 Parliament page
Following the Secretary of State’s announcement on 10 February of additional funding for cladding remediation, the Committee will take evidence from MHCLG, the UK Cladding Action Group, LGA and others. We will look at how this support will be allocated, and the steps that will be taken to ensure that … Read more
14 Recommendations
2 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
3 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 7 events
17 May
2022
Report published
29 Apr
2021
Report published
20 Apr
2021
Correspondence
20 Apr
2021
Correspondence
19 Mar
2021
Correspondence
8 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
1 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
8 Mar 2021
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Richard Goodman · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities The Lord Greenhalgh · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
1 Mar 2021
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Oral evidence; Oral Evidence
Dr Dean Buckner · Leasehold Knowledge Partnership Dr Nigel Glen · Association of Residential Managing Agents Dr Will Martin · UK Cladding Action Group Kate Henderson · National Housing Federation The Lord Porter of Spalding CBE · Local Government Association (LGA)
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediation—Follow-up HC 1249 29 Apr 2021 16 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
16 results
1 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We are concerned that, despite our previous recommendation on this issue, the Government still lacks...
We are concerned that, despite our previous recommendation on this issue, the Government still lacks data on the full scale and extent of remediation needed for buildings both below and above 18m. In order to know how much it will … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing information in data releases as soon as appropriate and details its current monthly and quarterly publications on the progress of ACM cladding remediation and the Building Safety Fund for buildings 18 metres and above.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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2 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We reiterate our recommendation from our June 2020 report that in the same way as...
We reiterate our recommendation from our June 2020 report that in the same way as it has done for buildings with ACM cladding, the Government should publish a monthly data release on the number of buildings with non-ACM cladding and … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to publishing information when appropriate and currently provides monthly updates on ACM cladding and the Building Safety Fund for non-ACM cladding on buildings 18m and above. It does not explicitly commit to a single monthly data release covering all non-ACM cladding and other fire safety defects, including buildings between 11m and 18m, as requested.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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3 Conclusion Rejected
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We welcome the additional £3.5 billion funding towards cladding remediation for buildings 18m and above...
We welcome the additional £3.5 billion funding towards cladding remediation for buildings 18m and above in height, which is a significant increase on the £1.6 billion already committed. However, we are concerned about perceived and real restrictions to the Building … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the implied need for a 'Comprehensive Building Safety Fund' as it believes it would lead to unnecessary remediation works and negative market impacts, advocating for a proportionate approach instead.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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4 Recommendation Rejected
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
The Government should establish a Comprehensive Building Safety Fund for full remediation works of affected...
The Government should establish a Comprehensive Building Safety Fund for full remediation works of affected buildings. In allocating funds from the Comprehensive Building Safety Fund, the Government should move away from the current height- and product-based approach and should instead … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to establish a 'Comprehensive Building Safety Fund,' arguing it would lead to unnecessary remediation, negatively impact the housing market, and counter their proportionate, risk-based approach to building safety.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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5 Recommendation Rejected
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
A building that is half-safe is a building that is unsafe.
A building that is half-safe is a building that is unsafe. Leaseholders are no more responsible for non-cladding fire safety defects than they are for the presence of combustible cladding on their homes. The costs of non-cladding related remediation could … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation for a comprehensive building safety fund, arguing it would lead to unnecessary remediation, negative market impacts, and delays. It highlights its proportionate approach and existing provisions under the Building Safety Act 2022 for non-cladding costs.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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6 Recommendation Rejected
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
The Comprehensive Building Safety Fund should be fully funded by Government and industry, and the...
The Comprehensive Building Safety Fund should be fully funded by Government and industry, and the Government should establish clear principles regarding how the costs should be split between the two. Total contributions should not be capped, given that, as we … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation to establish a comprehensive, uncapped building safety fund, arguing it would drive unnecessary remediation and negatively impact the housing market by exacerbating incorrect risk perceptions.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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7 Recommendation Accepted
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
Social housing providers should have full and equal access to government funds for remediation, whether...
Social housing providers should have full and equal access to government funds for remediation, whether through the existing Building Safety Fund or our proposed Comprehensive Building Safety Fund. Our proposed Comprehensive Building Safety Fund would cover all necessary remediation, including … Read more
Government Response
The government stated that social housing providers already have access to the Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund under certain conditions, and can claim for costs chargeable to leaseholders, but did not commit to new full and equal access or update fund contracts as recommended.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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8 Conclusion Not Addressed
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
It is disappointing that the Government’s proposed loan scheme, whereby leaseholders contribute up to £50...
It is disappointing that the Government’s proposed loan scheme, whereby leaseholders contribute up to £50 a month to pay for cladding remediation works on buildings between 11m and 18m high, does not satisfy the previously agreed principle that leaseholders should … Read more
Government Response
The government's response did not address the committee's concerns about the proposed loan scheme for 11-18m buildings or the principle of leaseholders not paying, instead responding to an unrelated recommendation about a comprehensive building safety fund.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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9 Recommendation Rejected
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
The Government should abolish the loan scheme.
The Government should abolish the loan scheme. We reiterate our call on the Government to re-establish the principle that leaseholders should not pay anything towards the cost of remediating historical building safety defects. Instead, as we have stated, costs should … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation to abolish the loan scheme and establish a comprehensive fund, arguing it would lead to unnecessary work and negative market impacts, instead reiterating its proportionate approach and provisions in the Building Safety Act 2022.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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10 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
The Committee welcomes the introduction of a new developer levy and tax to ensure that...
The Committee welcomes the introduction of a new developer levy and tax to ensure that developers contribute towards the costs of remediation. We recognise and welcome the fact that some developers have already committed millions towards remediation funds. We also … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepted the recommendation by agreeing that those responsible should contribute and stating it will use powers in the Building Safety Act to compel construction product manufacturers, and noted it has consulted on the impacts of the building safety levy, but did not commit to extending the developer levy or dedicating it to a comprehensive fund.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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11 Recommendation Accepted
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We also ask the Government to consider how others, including product manufacturers and suppliers, can...
We also ask the Government to consider how others, including product manufacturers and suppliers, can contribute to the costs of fire safety remediation, in line with principles set out by the Government about the proportion of costs to be met … Read more
Government Response
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it agrees that responsible parties should contribute, and will use powers in the Building Safety Act to compel construction product manufacturers to contribute to remediation costs, with a new Recovery Unit to pursue firms.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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12 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We welcome the introduction of the waking watch relief fund, which shows the Government recognises...
We welcome the introduction of the waking watch relief fund, which shows the Government recognises that intervention is needed to support leaseholders with interim fire safety costs. However, the scheme does not go far enough. It does not cover the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the burden of interim costs and has launched a £35 million Waking Watch Relief Fund and a further £27 million Waking Watch Replacement Fund to install fire alarms in buildings of all heights, aiming to end reliance on Waking Watch measures.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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13 Recommendation Deferred
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We are concerned by the lack of progress on keeping residents’ building insurance costs reasonable...
We are concerned by the lack of progress on keeping residents’ building insurance costs reasonable during the period when their buildings are being remediated. The Government has been engaging with the insurance industry for months, and all the while leaseholders … Read more
Government Response
The government has deferred direct action, stating that the Secretary of State called on the FCA and CMA to review buildings insurance premiums, with recommendations expected in summer 2022, rather than setting a deadline for the industry or committing to intervention.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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14 Recommendation Deferred
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
The new guidance on EWS1 forms alone is not sufficient to mitigate the short-term and...
The new guidance on EWS1 forms alone is not sufficient to mitigate the short-term and long-term impacts that the underlying uncertainty around building safety is having and will have on the wider housing market. We ask the Government to report … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the recommendation for an assessment of the housing market impact and noted it had already launched a consultation on the building safety levy's impact, stating it is considering feedback and will update in due course, but did not address the request to ask the Prudential Regulation Authority for an assessment.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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15 Recommendation Not Addressed
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We are concerned that the exclusion of social landlords from the Building Safety Fund and...
We are concerned that the exclusion of social landlords from the Building Safety Fund and waking watch relief fund except in specific circumstances is having negative consequences for the wider social housing sector. While the £12 billion Affordable Homes Programme … Read more
Government Response
The government's response did not address the specific recommendations to ensure social housing providers have full access to the waking watch relief fund or to publish an impact assessment on the effects of fire safety remediation on social housing provision.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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16 Recommendation Acknowledged
Seventh Report: Cladding Remediati…
We do not think the Government is doing everything it can to support the physical...
We do not think the Government is doing everything it can to support the physical and mental health of residents of affected buildings. The Government should work with local authorities to ensure that affected residents have access to the physical … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the negative mental health impact of the building safety crisis and stated it is working to ensure all people receive the mental health support they need, but did not commit to the specific actions recommended.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Government Response AI assessment · 16 of 14 classified
Accepted 2
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 5
Total 14 recs + 2 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
20 Apr 2021 Association of Residential Managing Agents briefing notes on building insurance costs and cladding statistics
Parliament page
20 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Building Safety, Fire and Communities to the Chair dated 24 March 2021 following up his appearance before the Committee on 8 March
Parliament page
19 Mar 2021 To committee Letter from Lord Porter, LGA Building Safety Spokesperson, to the Chair dated 5 March 2021 concerning fire safety and waking watches
Parliament page