BRIEFING PAPER Number CBP 8305, 20 January 2020
Grenfell Tower Fire: By Ed Potton
Background
Contents: 1. Grenfell Tower Fire 2. Government response 3. Building Safety Programme 4. Public Inquiry 5. Grenfell Recovery Task Force 6. Press Articles 7. Parliamentary Statements and Debates 8. Government press releases
www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library | [email protected] | @commonslibrary 2 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
Contents
Summary 3 1. Grenfell Tower Fire 4 2. Government response 5 2.1 Police Investigation 6 3. Building Safety Programme 9 3.1 Hackitt Review and Buildings Regulation Reform 9 4. Public Inquiry 11 4.1 Calls to widen the panel 13 5. Grenfell Recovery Task Force 15 6. Press Articles 17 7. Parliamentary Statements and Debates 20 8. Government press releases 23
Contributing Authors: Nikki Sutherland
Cover page image copyright: attributed to London-Dockhead Fire Station by Ben 251988. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 / image cropped.
3 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
Summary
On 30 October 2019 the report from phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry was published. A debate on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry took place on the same day and a further general debate on the Phase 1 Report is due to take place on 21 January 2021.
On 14 June 2017 a fire broke out at Grenfell Tower, a 24 storey residential housing block in North Kensington, London. 72 people died as a result of the fire. The tower, which provided social housing, contained 129 flats. The block was owned by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea but management of the block was the responsibility of the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation. The fire appeared to spread rapidly up the building; the current Public Inquiry has considered and reported on the causes of the fire. This briefing sets out the Government response to the fire, including details of the building safety programme, the ongoing public inquiry and recovery taskforce. It includes relevant press articles from immediately after the fire and from recent months but does not aim to provide comprehensive coverage since 2017. Parliamentary statements and debates on the issue are also included. Government information on the fire is available online. A number of Library briefings provide further information: • Building Regulations and Safety: Review and Reforms, last updated May 2019 but contains a summary of recent developments to December 2019 • Leasehold high-rise flats: who pays for fire safety work?, October 2019 • Fire Safety of Construction Products, POSTnote, May 2018 4 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
1. Grenfell Tower Fire
On 14 June 2017 a fire broke out at Grenfell Tower, a 24 storey residential housing block in North Kensington, London. The fire was reported shortly after midnight and affected the majority of the floors. The tower was built in 1974 and contained 129 flats. A refurbishment of the tower was completed in 2016, including new exterior cladding, replacement windows, heating systems and remodelling of the bottom four floors.1 The tower, which provided social housing, was managed by Kensington and Chelsea TMO (Tenant Management Organisation) on behalf of Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council.2 72 people died as a result of the fire. A public inquiry and criminal investigation are ongoing (see later sections). Press coverage after the fire A number of the following stories highlight some of the issues raised after the initial fire. Section 6 of this briefing contains links to recent press articles that have commented on issues such as the public inquiry. Overall this briefing does not contain a comprehensive list of press articles nor is it an endorsement of the contents: • London fire: A visual guide to what happened at Grenfell Tower, BBC News, 21 June 2016‘ • What we know and what we do not know about the Grenfell Tower fire, Financial Times, 16 June 2017 • Grenfell Tower residents kept warning that their home was a deathtrap, The Times, 15 June 2017 • Fire safety: repeated calls for retrofitting sprinklers to high-rises were ignored, Guardian, 18 June 2017 • Grenfell Tower: fire victims left in lurch by chaotic relief effort, The Times, 19 June 2017 • Flammable Grenfell panels withdrawn from sale for high-rises, Financial Times, 26 June 2017 • May orders national inquiry after 100% failure rate in high-rise cladding tests, Guardian, 27 June 2017 • Fire-risk cladding discovered in hospitals and student halls, The Times, 28 June 2017 • How lax building rules contributed to Grenfell disaster, Financial Times, 29 June 2017 • Grenfell Tower: Government sends in 'taskforce', BBC, 5 July 2017
1 London fire: What happened at Grenfell Tower? , BBC News, 19 July 2017 2 Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation website 5 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
2. Government response
The Government response to the fire can be tracked through a number of Government press releases and statements to the House as listed in sections 7 and 8 of this briefing. A Gov.uk page sets out the support available for those affected by the fire. On 15 June 2017 the then Prime Minister announced a Public Inquiry into the fire, chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick. This Inquiry has started, and will run over two phases, with the phase 1 report published on 30 October, while phase 2 is expected to start on 27 January 2020. See section 4 for further detail. On 16 May 2017 the then Prime Minister announced a package of support measures following the fire. This included commitments around re-housing and a £5 million Grenfell Tower Residents’ Discretionary fund.34 Key developments since the fire include: • Announcement of an Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety on 28 July 2017; • Updates and guidance on fire safety • Publication of the terms of reference for the public inquiry on 15 September 2017; • Publication of the first report from the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce on 6 November. The taskforce aims to support the local authority and agencies in long term recovery planning. See section 5 for further detail; • Publication of the interim review of building regulations – the Hackitt Review - accompanied by a statement to the House by the Secretary of State also providing an update on the response on 18 December 2017; • Written principles being agreed (1 March 2018) on the way decisions would be made on the future of the site with the Government stating that it “reaffirmed its commitment to putting survivors, bereaved families and the community at the heart of deciding what happens to the future of the Grenfell Tower site”(also confirmed in a written statement); • Publication of the second report from the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce on 16 March; • Announcement by the Prime Minister to appoint an additional two panel members to the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry panel for phase two of its work on 11 May 2018 following an e-petition. The names of these panel members were announced on 30 May 2019; • On 16 May 2018 the Government announced financial support (£400 million) for the removal of replacement of unsafe cladding by councils and housing associations; • The final report of the Hackitt Review into Building Regulations and Fire Safety was published on 17 May 2018; • In August 2018 the Government announced they would take on responsibility for the site;
3 Prime Minister’s Office, “Support for victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster”, 16 June 2017 4 Other immediate support details were set out in DCLG, ‘Update to MPs on the Grenfell Tower disaster: 22 June 2017’ 6 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
• The Government announced on 12 September 2018 that they would set up a “community-led Memorial Commission”; • On 26 October 2018, the Government announced additional environmental checks would be carried out in and around the Grenfell Tower site; • On 18 December 2018, the Government made a written statement providing a building safety update and announced the publication of an implementation plan; • Publication of the third report from the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce on 18 December 2018; • On 9 May 2019 the Government announced funding to support the removal of unsafe cladding from privately owned buildings (£200 million). • Publication of the fourth report from the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce on 17 July 2019; • Publication of a report from Public Health England on air quality monitoring around the Grenfell Site (last updated 24 October 2019) • A series of update letters to Grenfell residents, with the last being on 15 July 2019, covering the Government taking ownership of the site and planning for the memorial; • Oral statement by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, outlining the new Government’s approach to building safety, setting out a series of consultations under way, the remediation work on buildings with ACM cladding and the setting up of a ‘protection board’ until the new building safety regime is in place. • Publication of the Phase 1 Report of the Public Inquiry on 30 October 2019 2.1 Police Investigation The fire is currently the subject of a police investigation and details were initially given in 2017 by the Metropolitan Police:5 The Met is leading a criminal investigation, working closely with the Fire Service, Health and Safety Executive and experts in fire and building safety. At the heart of the police investigation is seeking to establish what happened to each and every person who lost their life. It is a significant and far reaching investigation that will seek to identify how the fire started, how it spread and importantly why this happened. The investigation will examine a number of areas including how Grenfell Tower was managed and maintained, fire safety measures and the most recent refurbishment that was carried out. The Met will investigate any criminal offences that may have been committed including examination of all relevant legislation, Fire Safety Regulations, Health and Safety legislation, building regulations and any other relevant statutory or regulatory frameworks.
5 Metropolitan Police, Grenfell Tower incident
7 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
The Metropolitan Police stated in November 2017 that 71 people died as a result of the fire.6 It was reported in early 2018 that a woman rescued from the fire had died in hospital in January 2018.7 In March 2019 an archived Metropolitan Police news article notes that any decision around charges is unlikely before late 2021, after the conclusion of the public inquiry:8 As the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (GTI) has progressed, both the police senior investigating officer and the CPS agree that the police investigation must take into account any findings or reports produced by the GTI, including its final report. If the police investigation concludes there is sufficient evidence to consider criminal charges in relation to the fire, a file will be submitted to the CPS for its consideration. The GTI has previously stated that it is unlikely phase 2 public hearings will begin before the end of 2019. The publication of any final inquiry report will follow phase 2 hearings and so the Met’s assessment is that any file submission to the CPS is unlikely to be sooner than the latter part of 2021. Detective Superintendent Matt Bonner, who leads the investigation into the fire, said: “We have always said our investigation will be thorough, exploring all reasonable lines of enquiry and examining all the available evidence. “While the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the police investigation are independent of each other, our timelines are inextricably linked. For our investigation to be considered thorough and complete, it must consider all relevant information and it would be wrong not to take into account evidence given to the public inquiry and its final report and findings. “We are in regular contact with the bereaved families and survivors as well as the wider community, and have informed them of our projected timeline for the investigation. I know this is longer than some might have anticipated, but the police must ensure all the available evidence is considered before any file is submitted to the CPS.” The timing was reported to have created ‘frustration’ amongst campaigners and survivor groups (for example, BBC News, Grenfell Tower: Prosecution file 'unlikely' before 2021, 7 March 2019). Reports in January 2020 suggested any decision on charges could be later than 2021.9 Further detail on the investigation was given in June 2019 in an update covered by some news sources, noting that 180 Met staff were working on it, with some 45 million documents and 14,000 exhibits to consider.10 On 16 September 2019 it was reported that the Metropolitan Police interviewed the London Fire Brigade under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.11 The same BBC News article gave further detail on the investigation: […]
6 BBC News, Grenfell Tower final death toll stands at 71, 16 November 2017 7 “Grenfell Tower death toll rises as women dies months after being rescued from blazing tower”, Evening Standard, 28 February 2018 8 Metropolitan Police, Update: Grenfell Tower fire investigation, 6 March 2019 (this quote is taken from a Google cached version as of 22 May 2019) 9 Daily Telegraph, “Grenfell victims face eight-year wait for justice over inferno that killed 72”, 4 January 2020 10 BBC News, Grenfell fire: 'No guarantee' of criminal charges, say police, 10 June 2019 11 BBC News, Grenfell Tower: Fire brigade interviewed by police, 16 September 2019 8 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
So far detectives working for the wider Grenfell Tower inquiry have carried out 17 interviews into potential manslaughter, corporate manslaughter and health and safety offences. In June the force said about 7,100 statements had been taken from witnesses, community and family members, emergency services personnel and others. 9 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
3. Building Safety Programme
Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the Government set up a Building Safety Programme under the then Department for Communities and Local Government. The government appointed an expert panel, chaired by Sir Ken Knight, to advise the Government on immediate measures needed to ensure building safety and to help identify buildings of concern. The independent panel advised the government to undertake identification screening of residential buildings over 18 metres tall to identify the type of aluminium composite material (ACM) used. Testing was undertaken by the Buildings Research Establishment (BRE). The programme has published consolidated advice for building owners in: Government Building Safety Programme – update and consolidated advice for building owners following large scale testing, updated 27 February 2018. This includes detail of the tests undertaken and the action building owners should take. Further testing has taken place on different building products as issues have arisen, such as on fire doors and non-ACM cladding.12 Testing is ongoing on some non-ACM cladding types, and concerns have been raised on the guidance and support available to building owners beyond those with ACM cladding. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) releases a monthly Building Safety Programme bulletin which contains data on progress in identifying high-rise residential buildings with unsafe ACM cladding combinations. The January 2020 bulletin notes that, as at 31 December 2019, 135 high-rise residential and publicly-owned buildings in England have finished remediation works to remove Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding systems (including 68 social sector residential buildings, 23 private sector residential buildings and 35 student residential buildings). According to the release, 315 high-rise residential and publicly-owned buildings with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations are yet to be remediated (including 91 social sector residential buildings, 174 private sector residential buildings, 18 student residential buildings, 25 hotels and 7 publicly owned buildings) . In the social sector 77 of the 91 buildings have started remediation work. The release provides further detail on the progress of remediation and the local authority areas where the buildings are located. The release also contains data on applicants to the private sector remediation fund.13
3.1 Hackitt Review and Buildings Regulation Reform The Library briefing paper Building Regulations and Safety: Review and Reforms provides an overview of the interim and final Hackitt report, the Government’s implementation plan, the related report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, changes to Approved Document B, the Cladding Ban and ongoing building safety related consultations. In the Queen’s Speech in December 2019 the Government announced that it intended to introduce a Building Safety Bill in the session that would “Put in place new and enhanced regulatory regimes for building safety and construction products, and ensure residents
12 For further information see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-building-safety-programme 13 MHCLG, Building Safety Programme: Monthly Data Release, 31 December 2019 10 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
have a stronger voice in the system.” A Fire Safety Bill was also announced that would “Implement the relevant legislative recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry Phase 1 Report” and “Put beyond doubt that the Fire Safety Order will require building owners and managers of multi-occupied residential premises of any height to fully consider and mitigate the risks of any external wall systems and fire doors.” The Government’s background briefing notes provide more detail. Neither Bill has been published to date. 11 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
4. Public Inquiry
On 15 June 2017 the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced a public inquiry into the fire. On 17 June the Prime Minister confirmed that the “public inquiry will report back to me personally. As Prime Minister, I will be responsible for implementing its findings.”14 The Prime Minister appointed Sir Martin Moore-Bick, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, as the Chair of the Inquiry, following a recommendation from the Lord Chief Justice.15 The terms of reference, which followed a full public consultation, are: 1. To examine the circumstances surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, including: a) the immediate cause or causes of the fire and the means by which it spread to the whole of the building; b) the design and construction of the building and the decisions relating to its modification, refurbishment and management; c) the scope and adequacy of building regulations, fire regulations and other legislation, guidance and industry practice relating to the design, construction, equipping and management of high-rise residential buildings; d) whether such regulations, legislation, guidance and industry practice were complied with in the case of Grenfell Tower and the fire safety measures adopted in relation to it; e) the arrangements made by the local authority or other responsible bodies for receiving and acting upon information either obtained from local residents or available from other sources (including information derived from fires in other buildings) relating to the risk of fire at Grenfell Tower, and the action taken in response to such information; f) the fire prevention and fire safety measures in place at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017; g) the response of the London Fire Brigade to the fire; and h) the response of central and local government in the days immediately following the fire; and 2. To report its findings to the Prime Minister as soon as possible and to make recommendations.16 The Inquiry formally opened on 14 September 2017.17 The inquiry is split into two phases and the report of the first phase was published on 30 October 2019. The hearings for the second phase are expected to start on 27 January 2020. The phase 1 report was published on 30 October 2019. In terms of a summary of the report the best source is the executive summary from the public inquiry which provides an
14 Prime Minister’s Office, “Grenfell Tower: Statement from the Prime Minister”, 17 June 2017 15 Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick appointed Chair of Grenfell Tower public inquiry, 29 June 2017 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Terms of Reference, 15 August 2017; see also HCWS 135 2017-19, 14 September 2017; and the exchange between the inquiry chair and the Prime Minister in DEP 2017/0558 17 The Library briefing paper The Inquiries Act 2005 provides an explanation of the various terms used (assessors, core participants etc.) 17 PQ HC119029 2017-19 12 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
overview of events at Grenfell when the fire occurred, the report’s conclusions and recommendations. Key points made in the executive summary include: • The fire started in a fridge-freezer in a flat, and this fire was of a ‘relatively modest size and perfectly foreseeable’ (para 2.21). The principle reason the flames spread rapidly was the presence of external ACM rainscreen panels with polyethylene cores which acted as a fuel (para 2.13). • The inquiry found that “there was compelling evidence that the external walls of the building failed to comply with Requirement B4(1) of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010, in that they did not adequately resist the spread of fire having regard to the height, use and position of the building”. It notes that in phase 2 the inquiry will consider why those responsible for the design considered it met the requirement (para 2.16). • The report praises the firefighters who attended the fire but criticises the London Fire Brigade for the preparation and planning around such a fire (para 2.18), and the LFB operation on the ground, particularly around command and control and the stay put policy (para 2.19). Issues are also highlighted around the control room (para 2.20). The LFB responded to the report with a statement on the day of publication. • The report also comments on lessons for future scenarios around the joint operations of emergency services (para 2.21). A series of recommendations are made; the report states these should be read in full. It notes:18 Chapter 33 does not lend itself to being summarised. It should be read in full, because it sets out my recommendations in detail and explains the basis on which they are being made (or in some cases why certain recommendations are not being made). In summary, however, I make recommendations for change in relation to the following matters: a. The information made available to fire and rescue services about the materials and methods of construction used in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings. b. The arrangements made by the LFB to discharge its duties under section 7(2)(d) of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. c. The availability of plans of high-rise residential buildings to local fire and rescue services and the provision of premises information boxes in high-rise residential buildings. d. The regular inspection and testing of lifts designed for use by firefighters. e. Communication between the LFB control room and the incident commander. f. The way in which fire and rescue services handle emergency calls. g. The LFB’s command and control procedures and use of resources, in particular the capture of information from crews returning from deployments and the sharing of information between the LFB control room, the incident commander and the bridgehead. h. The communication equipment available to the LFB for use by crews deployed in firefighting and rescue operations in high-rise buildings.
18 Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report Overview, 30 October 2019 13 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
i. The evacuation of high-rise residential buildings, including the provision of equipment enabling firefighters to send an evacuation signal to the whole or a selected part of the building. j. The provision of fire safety information to residents of high-rise residential buildings and the marking of floor levels in lobbies and staircase landings. k. The inspection of fire doors and self-closing devices. l. Aspects of co-operation between the emergency services. The recommendations included legislative requirements around the responsibilities of building owners and managers providing information to emergency services, collecting information on the building or maintaining specific services such as lifts. The House of Commons considered the report on the same day, with the debate led by the Prime Minister. During that debate the Prime Minister said that the Government intended to accept all the recommendations and that they would hold a further debate on the phase 1 report. At the time of writing a Government response to the inquiry’s recommendations has not been published. A number of news sources carried articles on the contents of the inquiry report from 29 October 2019 onwards, for example: BBC News, “Grenfell Tower fire: 'Systemic failures' in fire brigade's response”, Coverage in the Daily Telegraph [subscription required for some articles], and The Guardian “Grenfell inquiry finds fire brigade 'gravely' ill-prepared for blaze”. A letter from the Prime Minister to Sir Martin Moore-Bick [on appointments to the panel] in December 2019 also provided information on next steps:19 …I would also like to inform you that I propose to publish the Government's formal response to the Inquiry's Phase I report and its recommendations once Parliament has returned from the Christmas break and before the start of the Phase 2 hearings. This will set out in detail, how we intend to address the recommendations and I will ensure that the appropriate Parliamentary time is secured for its full and proper scrutiny. The Government response will provide further information on primary and secondary legislative options being considered to implement the recommendations that require a change in the law. We aim to bring forward legislation during 2020 to address both your recommendations and those of Dame Judith Hackitt. We will also publish further advice and guidance to help ensure that the fire safety risks identified are proactively managed so that residents can feel safe in their homes and we will be able to provide details of the work we are undertaking with our partners to ensure they in turn deliver on the recommendations in the report. Concerns about the inquiry have been raised by some. For example, the charity Inquest, published a report in May 2019, following contributions from 55 bereaved family members. It urged the first stage report to be published and made recommendations for improving the process for the second phase. It is also considered proposals for future inquests.20
4.1 Calls to widen the panel An e-petition in 2018 “Call[ed] on PM to take action to build public trust in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry” by widening the panel members to greater reflect the background and
19 Letter from the Prime Minister to Sir Martin Moore-Bick, 20 December 2019 20 See “Grenfell families call for major changes to inquiry set-up”, The Guardian. 8 May 2019 14 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
concerns of those affected. The petition attracted 156,835 signatures, and a debate was scheduled for 14 May 2018. On 11 May 2018 the Government announced that an additional two panel members would be added for the second phase of the Inquiry to “ensure that the Inquiry panel itself also has the necessary breadth of skills and diversity of expertise relevant to the broad range of issues to be considered”. The written statement said: The fire in Grenfell Tower was an unimaginable tragedy, and I am determined that justice is done for the victims, survivors, bereaved and the wider community. On 21 December 2017, I wrote to Sir Martin Moore-Bick, chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry with my decision not to appoint additional panel members to the Inquiry at that time. The Inquiries Act 2005 affords me the power to appoint panel members at any time during the Inquiry and I previously indicated my intention to keep the matter under review. Since December, the Inquiry has made significant progress. It has received some 330,000 documents, and expects that figure to grow to 400,000. Sir Martin’s team have conducted a first stage review of approximately 183,000 documents. The Inquiry has confirmed that it is continuing to identify potentially relevant providers of documents as work progresses. The process of gathering and identifying relevant documents for phase 2 has started in parallel with the phase 1 disclosure exercise. The Inquiry has confirmed that it is expecting that a “significant volume of documentation will be disclosed at this stage”. Sir Martin has appointed 547 core participants to the Inquiry – 519 of them individuals from the Grenfell community. This is an unprecedented number. Given the extent of the tragedy, we should not be surprised by the scale and range of issues that are emerging from the Inquiry’s early work. Phase 2 of the Inquiry will be the largest phase in terms of the number of issues to be considered, and it is appropriate for me to reflect now on the two distinct phases of the Inquiry’s work and to consider the most appropriate composition of the Inquiry panel for phase 2. To ensure that the Inquiry panel itself also has the necessary breadth of skills and diversity of expertise relevant to the broad range of issues to be considered in phase 2, and to best serve the increasing scale and complexity of the Inquiry, I have decided to appoint an additional two panel members to support Sir Martin’s chairmanship for phase 2 of the Inquiry’s work onwards. I wrote to Sir Martin yesterday, informing him of my decision. Once suitable panel members have been identified, I will write to Sir Martin again to seek his consent to any appointment, in accordance with section 7(2)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005. The resulting debate on the e-petition can be found at: HC Deb 14 May 2018 c1WH. On 30 May 2019 the Prime Minister announced the appointment of Professor Nabeel Hamdi and Thouria Istephan to the inquiry panel for phase 2.21 However, On 23 December 2019 the Government announced a change to the planned membership of the panel for phase 2 of the inquiry . Ms Benita Mehra was appointed (alongside Thouria Istephan) as a decision-making panel member for phase 2 of the Inquiry; Ms Mehra replaced Professor Nabeel Hamdi who was unable to take up the original appointment. Concerns have been raised over the change to the intended panel for phase 2 (see The Guardian “ Boris Johnson's pick to help lead Grenfell inquiry linked to cladding firm”, 16 January 2020).
21 Prime Minister appoints new Grenfell Tower Inquiry panel members, 30 May 2019 15 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
5. Grenfell Recovery Task Force
The Government announced the creation of a Grenfell Recovery Task Force to support the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) on 26 July 2017. The role of the task force was to “to develop and implement a long term recovery plan following the Grenfell Tower fire”. The Taskforce published reports in October 2017 and March 2018 which monitored the performance of local agencies, in particular Kensington & Chelsea Borough Council, in addressing the aftermath of the fire. The third report was published on 18 December 2018, when the then Secretary of State James Brokenshire, welcomed progress but noted in a written statement: 22 […] However, the Taskforce is clear that pace remains an issue and that it was to be expected that RBKC would have been further forward by this point than it currently is. The Taskforce has recommended that the Council needs to: • Complete the recovery strategy as soon as possible, so that they have a clear road map to achieving recovery; • Ensure they have the capacity and capability to deliver the recovery strategy, whilst at the same time responding appropriately to the Public Inquiry and associated media interest; • Carry on with their work to repair and improve relationships with their communities, and get the basics right in how they communicate with them; • Remain focussed on their programme of culture change to show that they have learnt the lessons from the Grenfell Tower tragedy; • Prioritise the rehousing effort in order that all those made homeless by the tragedy are resettled in good quality permanent homes as soon as possible. I have asked the Taskforce to continue their work in supporting and challenging the Council and providing assurance to me; and to report to me again in spring 2019. The fourth taskforce report was published on 17 July 2019, and the then Secretary of State James Brokenshire made a written statement:23 Two years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, my priority is to ensure that everyone affected is receiving the support they need and deserve. The Independent Grenfell Recovery Taskforce continues to provide challenge and advice to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) in their response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy. I recently received their fourth report, which I am today depositing in the Library of the House and publishing in full at gov.uk, alongside my response. The Taskforce have outlined the progress that the Council have made since their last report of November 2018. RBKC have published their Grenfell Recovery Strategy and committed £50 million over the next five years to develop services to support the recovery. The Recovery Strategy is also prioritised in the new Council Plan. The Taskforce report that the dedicated service for the bereaved and survivors is the successful result of the Council co-designing the service with its users. I welcome these significant steps forward. On rehousing, the Taskforce have again offered reassurance to Ministers that the Council’s approach is appropriate and sensitive to the long-term needs of survivors. I am pleased that there has been further progress since I received the Taskforce’s report with two more families moving into permanent accommodation. However, as I said in
22 HCWS1202 18 December 2018 23 HCWS1733 17 July 2019 16 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
my oral statement on 10 June I remain concerned that households are still in emergency accommodation, including one in a hotel. The Taskforce have also welcomed the Council’s demonstrable appetite to modernise their governance procedures. They cite their implementation of recommendations by the Centre for Public Scrutiny, including establishing a programme of Listening Forums. The Taskforce have also identified the beginning of a culture change initiated by the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council. The Taskforce have highlighted developments in the Council’s approach to community relationships and communications. RBKC have increased the number and means by which they engage with their residents including new meetings between the political leadership and some of those most affected by the tragedy. The Taskforce also report that they are seeing pockets of good practice pertaining to fostering good relationships with service users and the community. Whilst the Taskforce have noted good progress in many areas they are also clear that the Council still faces significant challenges. The Taskforce have identified that the pace by which the recovery is being implemented is still too slow and that this needs to be addressed. The Taskforce have highlighted that strands of the Recovery Strategy remain in development, as well as the Community Programme and Economy Strategy. The Taskforce therefore remain concerned about the capacity and corporate capability of the Council to drive sustainable change. Although the rehousing programme is nearing completion the Taskforce state that the Council still faces substantial wider housing challenges. Whilst there is a programme to support and develop all councillors, the Taskforce have noticed occasions where member behaviour has caused them concern. There is a high degree of social capital that the Council are yet to fully tap into and the Taskforce call for an innovative approach to harness this enthusiasm. The Taskforce have also highlighted that the culture change has still not permeated all levels of the Council and silo working remains an issue. The Taskforce has set the bar high for RBKC’s recovery. It is important there is ambition and pace in the Council’s recovery efforts over the next three to four months in responding to the Taskforce’s recommendations, including: • Urgently implementing their recovery strategy; • Fostering a council-wide culture change so that everyone is working together; • Clearly communicating their recovery plan and develop stronger communications skills; • Ensuring that the senior team has the appropriate skills and resilience; • Making a clear commitment to creating a better relationship with its community. I am assured the Council have already set in train action to meet these recommendations. This includes a paper outlining their plans to implement organisational change at the Council by 2020. I will review the process in September, by which point I hope the Council will have made sufficient further progress. I look forward to continuing to work with the Taskforce. 17 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
6. Press Articles
The following selection of press articles is taken from recent months, and is not intended to be comprehensive or cover every issue raised.
BBC News Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Families raise conflict of interest concerns with PM 16 January 2020
Financial Times Slow progress on fire safety risks another Grenfell, mayor warns 6 January 2020
Guardian Mortgage prisoner: ‘I’ve been told I can’t sell for years’ 28 December 2019
The Independent Grenfell Tower: London Fire Brigade ‘too slow to learn lessons from disaster’, says watchdog 17 December 2019
Guardian There will be more fires like Grenfell, and lives will be lost [Opinion, from member of Grenfell United] 3 December 2019
Guardian Grenfell survivors tell party leaders safety delays will cost lives 3 December 2019
Financial Times Second common cladding type raises Grenfell fire risk fears 21 November 2019
The Independent 18 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
Tory ministers accused of ‘failing’ Grenfell residents after rejecting calls for contamination tests around block 30 October 2019 With related report available: Environmental Audit Committee: MPs condemn Government ‘failure’ to act on biomonitoring for Grenfell residents
Guardian Grenfell inquiry: Boris Johnson tells families 'justice will be done' [with related articles on the phase 1 report] 30 October 2019
Guardian Grenfell disaster: London fire chief calls for review of ‘stay put’ advice 16 October 2019
BBC News Online Grenfell fire expert resigns over contamination risk 2 August 2019
Independent Grenfell fire: Health officials ‘showed troubling lack of urgency’ over health risks from chemicals, say MPs 16 July 2019
BBC News Online Grenfell Tower council made £129m from property deals 29 May 2019
Independent Homes near Grenfell Tower site infected with potentially toxic chemicals, MPs warn 22 May 2019 (See Letter from the Chair to the leader of Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council on toxic chemicals in everyday life, 21 May 2019 and Letter from Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, regarding the toxic chemicals inquiry, 29 May 2019)
Inside Housing 19 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
Grenfell Inquiry judge will limit recommendations despite expert advice, letter reveals 16 May 2019
BBC News Online Grenfell Tower fire: First inquiry report delayed 17 May 2019
BBC News Online Grenfell Tower: Government to pay £200m for safer cladding 9 May 2019
Guardian Grenfell families call for major changes to inquiry set-up 7 May 2019
Guardian Grenfell: tenants voice health fears in wake of contamination report 28 March 2019
BBC News Online Grenfell Tower: Prosecution file 'unlikely' before 2021 7 March 2019
Guardian Experts warned of fire-spread risks two years before Grenfell 4 February 2019
Guardian Grenfell Tower inquiry: what we've learned so far 13 December 2018 20 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
7. Parliamentary Statements and Debates
Written or oral statements The Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Publication of its Phase 1 Report HC Deb 30 October 2019 HCWS49 Building Safety HC Deb 5 September 2019 | Vol 664 c372 Grenfell Update HC Deb 17 July 2019 | HCWS1733 Grenfell: Government Response HC Deb 10 June 2019 | Vol 661 cc424-436 [Statement repeated in House of Lords HL Deb 10 June 2019 | Vol 798 cc328-338] Building Safety Update HC Deb 6 June 2019 | HCWS 1605 Names of Additional Grenfell Tower Inquiry Panel Members HC Deb 5 June 2019 | HCWS1515 Grenfell update HC Deb 21 May 2019 | HCWS1574 Building safety update HC Deb 14 February 2019 | HCWS1334 Grenfell Update HC Deb 18 December 2018 | HCWS1202 Building Safety update HC Deb 18 December 2018 | HCWS1201 Grenfell update HC Deb 29 November 2018 | HCWS1126 Grenfell Update HC Deb 19 July 2018 | HCWS890 Building Safety Update HC Deb 28 June 2018 | HCWS811 Grenfell Tower HC Deb 11 June 2018 | Vol 642 cc619-628 Building Safety Update HC Deb 16 May 2018 | HCWS686 Consumer Policy Update 21 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
HC Deb 15 May 2018 | HCWS684 Grenfell Tower HC Deb 11 May 2018 HCWS678 Building Safety Update HC Deb 16 April 2018 | HCWS620 Grenfell Update HC Deb 22 March 2018 | HC Vol 638 c411 Building Safety Update HL Deb 15 March 2018 | HL Vol 789 c1781 Future of the Grenfell Tower Site HC Deb 1 March 2018 | HCWS498 Update on Building Safety Programme HC Deb 18 December 2017 | HCWS359 Grenfell Tower and Building Safety HC Deb 18 December 2017 | Vol 633 c733 Grenfell Tower fire six months on HC Deb 14 December 2017 | HCWS346 Grenfell Recovery Taskforce HC Deb 06 November 2017 | HC Vol 630 c1212 Grenfell Tower [urgent question] HC Deb 19 October 2017 | HC 629 c993 Grenfell Tower Fire HC Deb 11 October 2017 | HCWS157 Grenfell Tower Inquiry Terms of Reference HC Deb 14 September 2017 | HCWS135 Grenfell Tower and Building Safety HC Deb 05 September 2017 | HC Vol 628 c68 Grenfell Tower Fire HC Deb 29 June 2017 | HCWS18 Building Safety HC Deb 18 July 2017 | HCWS69
Debates – Commons Grenfell Tower Inquiry HC Deb 30 October 2019 Vol 667 c376 Grenfell Tower Fire 22 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
HC Deb 6 June 2019 | Vol 661 c291 Grenfell Tower HC Deb 16 May 2018 | Vol 641 c310 Grenfell Tower Inquiry HC Deb 14 May 2018 vol 641 c1WH Fire Safety and Cladding HC Deb 6 March 2018 Vol 637 c77WH Grenfell Tower Fire HC Deb 26 June 2017 Vol 626 c430 Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry HC Deb 12 July 2017 Vol 427 c311
23 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
8. Government press releases
Prime Minister formally appoints new Grenfell Inquiry panel members for Phase 2 23 December 2019 PM's statement on the Grenfell Phase One report 30 October 2019 Dame Judith Hackitt named as government adviser on the new Building Safety Regulator 28 October 2019 Environmental checks around Grenfell Tower show no increased risk to health 10 October 2019 Public health advice following the Grenfell Tower fire Updated 24 September 2019 Grenfell community to get further education funding boost 22 July 2019 Environmental checks around Grenfell Tower 20 July 2019 Letter to the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce: 17 July 2019 17 July 2019 Update letter to residents on developments in response to the Grenfell Tower fire: 15 July 2019 16 July 2019 Future management of the Grenfell site 16 July 2019 Update letter to residents on developments in response to the Grenfell Tower fire: 10 June 2019 11 June 2019 Letter to residents on developments in response to the Grenfell Tower fire: 7 June 2019 7 June 2019 Home Office launches call for evidence on fire safety 6 June 2019 Residents encouraged to have their say to improve building safety 6 June 2019 Grenfell environmental checks: update on exploratory testing 3 June 2019 Prime Minister appoints new Grenfell Tower Inquiry panel members 30 May 2019 24 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
Grenfell environmental checks: feedback from community workshops 28 May 2019 Government to fund and speed up vital cladding replacement 9 May 2019 Grenfell environmental checks: update on forthcoming community consultation events 23 April 2019 Community update on publication of Professor Stec's research 28 March 2019 Letter to the Grenfell community to confirm appointment of independent specialist: 22 March 2019 27 March 2019 Letter to the Grenfell community on progress of the environmental checks programme: 15 March 2019 27 March 2019 Update letter to residents on developments in response to the Grenfell Tower fire: 11 January 2019 14 January 2019 Brokenshire introduces tougher regulatory system for building safety 18 December 2018 Letter to the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce: 14 December 2018 18 December 2018 Update letter to residents on developments in response to the Grenfell Tower fire: 13 December 2018 13 December 2018 Government bans combustible materials on high-rise homes 29 November 2018 Combustible building materials: letter of response to Steve Reed MP and others - 7 November 2018 7 November 2018 Statement regarding Grenfell Tower video 5 November 2018 Further environmental checks for Grenfell site 26 October 2018 Funding released to make social sector homes safe 17 October 2018 Government releases funding to replace unsafe cladding 17 October 2018 25 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
Letter to Grenfell United following concerns about the possibility of soil contamination: 15 October 2018 16 October 2018 Public health advice following the Grenfell Tower fire 15 October 2018 Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission update letter: 17 September 2018 17 September 2018 Memorial Commission to honour victims of Grenfell Tower fire 12 September 2018 Government announces next step towards long term future of Grenfell Tower site 1 August 2018 Action to address recent fire door issues 31 July 2018 Grenfell relatives’ immigration policy: open letter, 19 July 2018 20 July 2018 Letter announcing an update to Grenfell relatives’ immigration policy 17 July 2018 Letter to residents following the Grenfell Tower fire: 16 July 2018 18 July 2018 Action plan to accelerate remediation of private high-rise residential buildings with ACM cladding 28 June 2018 Home Office announces revised immigration policy guidance for Grenfell relatives 26 June 2018 James Brokenshire publishes consultation on banning combustible cladding 18 June 2018 Grenfell one year on 11 June 2018 Letters to residents following the Grenfell Tower fire: 6 June 2018 11 June 2018 Schools to go Green for Grenfell 7 June 2018 Minute’s silence to mark Grenfell Tower Fire one year ago 4 June 2018 Letter to residents following the Grenfell Tower fire: 22 May 2018 22 May 2018 26 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
Government commits to major building safety reforms 17 May 2018 Statement on the Hackitt Review 17 May 2018 ‘Radical reform’ of building regulatory system needed, finds Dame Judith Hackitt 17 May 2018 Government announces it will fully fund unsafe cladding removal in social housing 16 May 2018 Update on fire doors investigation – risk to public safety remains low 16 May 2018 Independent investigation finds no further action required on fridge freezer model 15 May 2018 Letter to residents following the Grenfell Tower fire: 4 May 2018 10 May 2018 Government consults on proposals to toughen rules on building safety 11 April 2018 Dame Judith Hackitt hosts industry summit 23 March 2018 The second Independent Grenfell Recovery Taskforce report 22 March 2018 Letter to the Grenfell Recovery Taskforce: 19 March 2018 22 March 2018 Grenfell Tower fire response: what charitable grants are available 19 March 2018 Update on Grenfell Tower fire: 15 March 2018 15 March 2018 Fire safety advice unchanged after issue identified with fire door 15 March 2018 Survivors, bereaved families and community will help determine the future of the Grenfell Tower site 1 March 2018 Letter to residents following the Grenfell Tower fire: 27 February 2018 1 March 2018 Immigration deadline for Grenfell Tower residents extended 31 August 2017 27 Commons Library Briefing, 20 January 2020
Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: publication of terms of reference 30 August 2017 Government completes large-scale fire safety testing programme 25 August 2017 Latest large-scale government fire safety test result published 21 August 2017 Second wall cladding system passes latest government fire safety test 14 August 2017 Latest government large scale fire safety test results published 11 August 2017 Further results published from government’s fire testing programme 8 August 2017 Independent review of building regulations and fire safety 28 July 2017 New taskforce to support recovery from Grenfell fire disaster 26 July 2017 Expert panel recommends tests on cladding and insulation 6 July 2017 Independent Recovery Taskforce for Kensington and Chelsea council 5 July 2017 Protection from prosecution for unlawful subletting at Grenfell Tower 2 July 2017 Expert panel on safety meets for the first time 30 June 2017 Statement from the Independent Expert Advisory Panel 30 June 2017 Expert panel appointed to advise on immediate safety action following Grenfell fire 27 June 2017 £1 million for local charities responding to Grenfell Tower disaster 26 June 2017 PM chairs Grenfell Recovery Taskforce meeting 26 June 2017 Statement from the Secretary of State regarding the cladding testing failure rate 24 June 2017 28 Grenfell Tower Fire: Background
Department responds to police identification of Hotpoint fridge freezer involved in Grenfell Tower fire 23 June 2017 Charitable grants for people directly impacted by the Grenfell Fire 23 June 2017 Government and utility companies announce package of support for Grenfell victims 22 June 2017 PM chairs fifth meeting of the Grenfell Tower Recovery Taskforce 21 June 2017 First new homes secured for victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster 21 June 2017 PM chairs third meeting of the Grenfell Tower Recovery Taskforce 19 June 2017 Details of Grenfell Tower Residents’ Discretionary Fund 18 June 2017 Statement from the Prime Minister on Grenfell Tower 17 June 2017 UK to observe minute’s silence for victims of Grenfell Tower fire 17 June 2017 Government confirms emergency funding available in response to Grenfell Tower incident 15 June 2017 Statement on Grenfell Tower: A Downing Street spokesperson gave a statement on the Grenfell Tower fire 14 June 2017
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