Recommendation P2-42: Review Civil Contingencies Act intervention powers
From Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report, published 4 September 2024.
Recommendation
We therefore recommend that the Act be reviewed and consideration be given to granting a designated Secretary of State the power to carry out the functions of a Category 1 responder in its place for a limited period of time. (113.67)
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended reviewing legislation to allow ministers to temporarily take over responder functions. In September 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported that the recommendation was complete after ministers decided no amendment to intervention powers was required (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department stated that existing statutory powers were found sufficient, though the Cabinet Office will update public guidance and internal protocols (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). HM Government had accepted the recommendation in February 2025, which led to a review of existing statutory and non-legislative intervention powers (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 19 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
The government accepts this recommendation. The Cabinet Office will review statutory interventions powers, in consultation with other government departments.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: This is the government's response to the Phase 2 report (CP 1248, published 26 February 2025). It prints each recommendation and then the response to it. Where the recommendation is addressed to a body outside government, the response prints that body's own acceptance (the Architects Registration Board and RIBA, HMICFRS, London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the British Standards Institution, the National Police Chiefs' Council), and the row is filed under that body.
Delivery
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says completed (10 September 2026)
Timeline for delivery
2027
- Government to take a decision on ways to strengthen intervention when a Category 1 responder is failing to respond appropriately. – Complete
Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.
Earlier statements on delivery (2)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (10 September 2026)
The Cabinet Office reviewed the existing statutory powers in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA 2004) and other relevant legislation, and presented options to ministers on ways to strengthen interventions when a Category 1 responder is failing to respond appropriately. Our review found that the existing powers under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 could have supported the type of intervention envisaged by the Inquiry. However, our review also found that clearer public guidance and internal protocols are needed to support consideration and use of those powers in future incidents.
Cabinet Office ministers have considered the review and decided that no amendment to the available powers of intervention under the CCA 2004 is required. Instead, the Cabinet Office will update both public guidance and internal protocols to provide greater clarity on the types of interventions government might make and the available statutory and non-statutory interventions.
This recommendation is now complete and has been fully discharged.
Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (25 February 2026)
The Cabinet Office has, with support from all sponsoring departments for Category 1 responders, conducted a review of wider relevant legislation to identify existing powers of intervention available and whether there are any gaps. As well as identifying legislative powers, we have also reviewed non-legislative interventions available to departments.
As part of the review of powers of intervention under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Cabinet Office is seeking further legal assurance on a small number of possible scenarios to understand whether they fall under the scope of existing powers of intervention available under Sections 5 and 7 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Based on the findings of the review, Cabinet Office will formulate legislative and non-legislative proposals for how the government could strengthen the support provided to local responders during a response to an emergency, alongside appropriate routes for intervention where necessary. Any recommendations for legislative change would be made through the Post Implementation Review of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Site note: This is the annex of the government's Phase 2 annual report (CP 1512, published 25 February 2026) as GOV.UK publishes it, one page per theme: the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's account. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, the British Standards Institution, the Health and Safety Executive or the Cabinet Office, it is the report's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry. The status is what the passage says: completed only where it says the recommendation is complete or closed.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Delivery statement