To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the conclusions of the report entitled, External Fire Spread – Part 1 Background research, published by the Building Research Establishment, if he will make an assessment of the appropriateness of that organisation continuing in its role as an advisory body to his Department on fire safety.

Building Research Establishment Ltd are an independent research and consultancy organisation which my Department commissions from time to time. Consultancy services are commissioned by the Department in line with standard public procurement practice.