Fire Risk: Commercial and Residential Buildings

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at on 1 April 2019.

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Photo of Emma Dent Coad Emma Dent Coad Labour, Kensington

What recent assessment he has made of the capacity of fire inspectors to assess the fire risk of commercial and residential buildings.

Photo of Nick Hurd Nick Hurd The Minister of State, Home Department, Minister of State (London)

As the hon. Lady knows, each fire and rescue authority is required to have an integrated risk-management plan and risk-based inspection programme, and the adequacy and effectiveness of those arrangements are now subject to independent inspection.

Photo of Emma Dent Coad Emma Dent Coad Labour, Kensington

Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the London fire brigade implemented a more rigorous and detailed building inspection programme, which has brought up additional issues that need enforcement action. That inevitably takes up a great deal of time and limits the brigade’s ability to assess premises. Will the Minister agree to review funding, to improve the recruitment and retention of the suitably qualified officers we need to ensure that people are safe in their beds?

Photo of Nick Hurd Nick Hurd The Minister of State, Home Department, Minister of State (London)

I understand the hon. Lady’s point. Core spending for the Greater London Authority has increased by 6.3% in 2019-20. We are reviewing the funding arrangements for the fire service as part of the spending review, and I will note the hon. Lady’s intervention in that context.

Photo of Karen Lee Karen Lee Shadow Minister (Home Office) (Fire)

Not only are the Government failing to deal with dangerous cladding wrapped around buildings, but they are responsible for cutting one in four fire inspectors since 2010. They cannot cut red tape and fire inspectors and expect there to be no ticking time bombs like Grenfell. Cuts have consequences. The fire service must be funded to seek out risk, not just to respond to it. I add my voice to those asking the Minister whether he will undertake a serious review of fire service funding, with a view to implementing a robust national standard framework to set expectations of fire inspector numbers and competency.

Photo of Nick Hurd Nick Hurd The Minister of State, Home Department, Minister of State (London)

I can certainly assure the hon. Lady, as I have before, that as it prepares for the spending review the Home Office is extremely serious about assessing the demand on the police and the fire service. In the latest forces reviews by the independent inspectorate, 10 out of the 14 forces were rated “good” for effectiveness. I hope the hon. Lady would join me in welcoming that.

Several hon. Members:

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