:00:00. > :00:00.efforts that continue to be given that we will see that progress and
:00:00. > :00:00.see the invitation of a power-sharing executive in a very
:00:00. > :00:10.short period of time. -- implication.
:00:11. > :00:21.Secretary Sajid Javid. With permission Mr Speaker, I would like
:00:22. > :00:24.to update the house on the government's response to the
:00:25. > :00:27.Grenfell Tower tragedy and safety inspection of cladding in other
:00:28. > :00:33.public buildings. Almost three weeks have passed since the tragedy.
:00:34. > :00:36.Progress has been made to help the survivors and those in the
:00:37. > :00:40.surrounding buildings affected. Landlords across the country have
:00:41. > :00:45.taken measures to make the building is safe. Sir Martin Moore Bic has
:00:46. > :00:49.been announced to lead a public enquiry and an independent expert
:00:50. > :00:53.panel is now advising my department on any immediate action on fire
:00:54. > :00:58.safety that is required. The disaster at Grenfell Tower should
:00:59. > :01:02.never have happened. The police investigation and public enquiry
:01:03. > :01:05.will find out why it did. Right now the immediate priority of the
:01:06. > :01:09.government is to provide every assistance to those who were
:01:10. > :01:13.affected and to take every precaution to avoid another tragedy
:01:14. > :01:18.in buildings with similar cladding. The Grenfell Tower business unit is
:01:19. > :01:23.operating from my department and providing a single point of access
:01:24. > :01:28.into government. Staff from across government continue to offer support
:01:29. > :01:34.at the Westway assistant Centre and a family Parisian centre. Almost
:01:35. > :01:39.?2.5 million has been distributed from the ?5 million Grenfell Tower
:01:40. > :01:44.discretionary resident fund. Each household affected will receive
:01:45. > :01:49.?5,500 to receive immediate assistance and so far payments to
:01:50. > :01:53.112 households have been made. There has been much speculation about who
:01:54. > :01:59.was in Grenfell Tower on the night of the fire, and it's vital we find
:02:00. > :02:03.out. As I announced yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecutions has
:02:04. > :02:07.made it clear that there will be no prosecution of tenants at Grenfell
:02:08. > :02:12.Tower and Grenfell walk who may have been illegally sublet in their
:02:13. > :02:16.property. All tenants can be confident about coming forward with
:02:17. > :02:21.information for the authorities. There may have been people living in
:02:22. > :02:25.flats that were illegally sublet who had no idea about the true status of
:02:26. > :02:31.their tenancy. Their families want to know if they perished in the
:02:32. > :02:35.fire. These are their sons, daughters, brothers and sisters.
:02:36. > :02:40.They need closure, and it's the least they deserve. But that can't
:02:41. > :02:43.happen unless we have the information we need, so we are
:02:44. > :02:50.urging anyone with that information to come forward and to do so as
:02:51. > :02:54.quickly as they can. The immediate response to the Grenfell disaster is
:02:55. > :02:58.being co-ordinated by the Grenfell response team, led by John Baradari.
:02:59. > :03:04.He's been supported by colleagues drawn from London councils, the
:03:05. > :03:07.wider public sector, police, health and Fire Services, as well as
:03:08. > :03:11.central government. Their expertise and hard work is making a huge
:03:12. > :03:15.difference. But this is only a temporary measure. It's vital we put
:03:16. > :03:19.in place long-term support for the longer term recovery. It was right
:03:20. > :03:23.that the leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea took the
:03:24. > :03:27.decision to move on. I look forward to working with a new leader of the
:03:28. > :03:31.council and I will look at every option to ensure everybody affected
:03:32. > :03:36.by this tragedy as the long-term support they need. The Prime
:03:37. > :03:41.Minister promised that every family who lost their home because of the
:03:42. > :03:45.fire would be offered a good quality temporary home within three weeks.
:03:46. > :03:48.The deadline is this Wednesday. I have been monitoring the progress of
:03:49. > :03:54.rehousing, and we will honour that commitment. Every home offered will
:03:55. > :03:59.be appropriate and of good quality. What we will not do is compel anyone
:04:00. > :04:03.to accept an offer of temporary accommodation that they do not want.
:04:04. > :04:08.Some families have indicated that they wanted to remain as close as
:04:09. > :04:12.possible to their former home, but when they receive their offer, took
:04:13. > :04:16.a look at the property, they decided it would be easier to deal with
:04:17. > :04:24.their Parisian and if they moved further away. Some families have
:04:25. > :04:28.decided they would prefer to remain in hotels for the time being. Other
:04:29. > :04:32.households have decided they would like to wait until permanent
:04:33. > :04:36.accommodation becomes available. Every household will receive an
:04:37. > :04:40.offer of temporary accommodation by this Wednesday. But every household
:04:41. > :04:44.will also be given the space to make this transition at their own pace
:04:45. > :04:51.and in a way that helps them recover from this tragedy. The people
:04:52. > :04:54.affected by the disaster at Grenfell Tower need our assistance and they
:04:55. > :05:00.are receiving it. They also want answers. Sir Martin Moore-Bick has
:05:01. > :05:06.been appointed to lead a full public enquiry. He has visited Kensington,
:05:07. > :05:09.met with victims and survivors, and members of the local community who
:05:10. > :05:13.have done so much to help. After consulting with the community he
:05:14. > :05:16.will then advise on the terms of the enquiry and we will ensure there is
:05:17. > :05:22.legal support for victims so they can play their full part. We must
:05:23. > :05:25.allow that enquiry and the criminal investigation to run their course.
:05:26. > :05:30.Each must have the space to follow the evidence wherever it takes them.
:05:31. > :05:35.We must all be careful not to prejudge or prejudice either of
:05:36. > :05:39.them. What we can do right now is take sensible precautions to avoid
:05:40. > :05:43.another tragedy. The building research Establishment is continuing
:05:44. > :05:46.to test the combustibility of cladding from councils and housing
:05:47. > :05:55.associations, as well as private landlords. So far, all the samples
:05:56. > :06:00.of cladding testing has failed. 181 out of 181. It's disturbing there
:06:01. > :06:02.are such large numbers of buildings with combustible cladding and the
:06:03. > :06:08.priority is to make those buildings safe. Where appropriate mitigating
:06:09. > :06:11.measures can't be implement it quickly, landlords must provide
:06:12. > :06:14.alternative accommodation while remedial work is carried out. That's
:06:15. > :06:21.exactly what happened in the four tower blocks in Camden. Our primary
:06:22. > :06:25.concern has been buildings over 18 metres, six stories, where people
:06:26. > :06:31.stay at night. Hospitals and schools are also being assessed. We
:06:32. > :06:35.ourselves have asked questions about the testing regime after discovering
:06:36. > :06:39.the 100% failure rate so far. Last week I asked for the test process
:06:40. > :06:45.itself to be independently reviewed. This was done so by the research
:06:46. > :06:49.institutes of Sweden, and they have confirmed that they believe the
:06:50. > :06:53.process to be sound. A full explanatory briefing note on the
:06:54. > :06:58.testing process has been made available on the government website.
:06:59. > :07:01.As the note explains, every failed test means the panels are unlikely
:07:02. > :07:05.to be compliant with the limited combustibility requirement of the
:07:06. > :07:09.building regulations guidance. This has been confirmed by legal advice
:07:10. > :07:14.and the advice of the independent expert panel that was established
:07:15. > :07:18.last week. For use of the panels to be safe, landlords need to be
:07:19. > :07:23.confident that the whole wall system has been tested and shown to be
:07:24. > :07:27.safe. We are not aware of any such system having passed the necessary
:07:28. > :07:33.tests, but I have asked the expert advisory panel to look into this
:07:34. > :07:36.further. Almost three weeks have passed since the catastrophe that
:07:37. > :07:42.hit Grenfell Tower. I know I speak for every member of this house when
:07:43. > :07:48.I say we are still all in shock. It's not just the terrible scale of
:07:49. > :07:52.the suffering. It was that it happened in 21st-century Britain, in
:07:53. > :07:55.London's richest borough. I will continue to direct the full
:07:56. > :07:59.resources of my department to assist the Grenfell response team. I will
:08:00. > :08:03.work closely with the new leader of the local council to make sure there
:08:04. > :08:07.are plans in place for a long-term recovery, and I will return to this
:08:08. > :08:15.hours regularly to update honourable members on the process. I think the
:08:16. > :08:20.Secretary of State for the prior copy of his statement. He struck an
:08:21. > :08:24.appropriate tone today. These are complex challenges for government,
:08:25. > :08:29.national and local. Ministers have been off the pace at every stage
:08:30. > :08:32.since this terrible fire. Too slow to grasp the scale of the problems
:08:33. > :08:38.people are facing and too slow to act. For the Grenfell Tower
:08:39. > :08:42.survivors, for the victims' families, and for the local
:08:43. > :08:46.community in North Kensington, underlying everything is the
:08:47. > :08:50.question of trust. That those in the positions of power mean what they
:08:51. > :08:54.say, do what they promise, and don't drag their feet before acting to
:08:55. > :09:00.deal with the problems. That's a powerful message that must be
:09:01. > :09:03.understood by ministers, Kensington and Chelsea Council, and the chair
:09:04. > :09:09.of the public enquiry, Sir Martin Moore-Bick. The Grenfell Tower
:09:10. > :09:14.residents understood what the Prime Minister meant when she said, I have
:09:15. > :09:19.fixed a deadline for everyone affected to be found a new home
:09:20. > :09:23.within three weeks nearby. It is three weeks on Wednesday since the
:09:24. > :09:29.fire. How many people are still in hotels? The secretary of state gave
:09:30. > :09:31.the latest version of the government's promised today, a good
:09:32. > :09:37.quality temporary home within three weeks. Does this include Hotel
:09:38. > :09:43.rooms? How temporarily is temporarily? And by what data will
:09:44. > :09:49.all residents affected by the fire be in permanent new homes? And while
:09:50. > :09:54.we are trying to get the number is clear, how many survivors are there
:09:55. > :10:00.from the Grenfell Tower? How many have not received the government's
:10:01. > :10:05.immediate assistance payments of ?5,500? Turning to the wider fears
:10:06. > :10:10.of those living in 4000 other tower blocks around the country, the
:10:11. > :10:14.government said 600 tower blocks with cladding needs safety checks,
:10:15. > :10:18.but nearly three weeks on the Secretary of State confirms today
:10:19. > :10:24.only 181 have been tested so far, and all have failed. Will he accept
:10:25. > :10:28.these tests are too slow and too narrow? Will he confirm the
:10:29. > :10:33.government is only testing one component of the cladding, not the
:10:34. > :10:42.panels, adhesives, insulation, not the cladding as a company composite
:10:43. > :10:48.system. All perfect fire safety qualities. We'll be secretary of
:10:49. > :10:54.state confirm cladding is not the whole story. We know this from the
:10:55. > :11:00.two coroner reports after previous fires four years ago. Will he acts
:11:01. > :11:04.now, not wait for the public enquiry, to reassure residents in
:11:05. > :11:08.all other tower blocks, by starting the overhaul of building
:11:09. > :11:13.regulations, retrofitting sprinkler systems, starting with the highest
:11:14. > :11:17.risk blocks, and making very clear the government will fund up front
:11:18. > :11:24.the full costs of any necessary remedial work is to mark turning to
:11:25. > :11:27.the public enquiry, the Prime Minister has rightly set up the
:11:28. > :11:31.enquiry to get to the bottom of what went wrong at Grenfell Tower and
:11:32. > :11:37.hope help make sure this can't happen again. She said no stone will
:11:38. > :11:40.be left unturned, yet Sir Martin Moore-Bick has said, I have been
:11:41. > :11:48.asked to undertake this enquiry on the basis it would be pretty well
:11:49. > :11:52.limited to the start of the fire and its rapid development. The Secretary
:11:53. > :12:01.of State, I recognise the importance of the independence of the enquiry,
:12:02. > :12:05.but will he make clear what brief Sir Martin has been given by the
:12:06. > :12:13.Prime Minister for the enquiry? John Boro Dale is leading the strategic
:12:14. > :12:17.coordination group at present, providing the coordination and
:12:18. > :12:21.leadership that Chelsea and Kensington Council itself couldn't
:12:22. > :12:25.do after the fire. How long will baby running these operations? What
:12:26. > :12:31.is the hand back plan, and who will they hand back to? There are deeper
:12:32. > :12:35.flaws in this council beyond the very serious failings in response to
:12:36. > :12:39.the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Every public statement from the ruling
:12:40. > :12:42.politicians confirms that they are in denial. These are exactly the
:12:43. > :12:48.deeper problems that commissioners and a full corporate governance
:12:49. > :12:53.inspection would help put right. The government is still off the pace. If
:12:54. > :12:57.this counsel were a school, it would be in special measures. Fresh
:12:58. > :13:02.leadership would be needed, fresh confidence will be built and must be
:13:03. > :13:07.built in this counsel. Actions speak louder than words, and actions count
:13:08. > :13:14.most in helping the Grenfell Tower survivors, and in rebuilding their
:13:15. > :13:18.confidence in the future, and also rebuilding the wider public trust
:13:19. > :13:22.that must be there for the residents who live in our tower blocks, and
:13:23. > :13:30.make them their homes across the country. Sajid Javid.
:13:31. > :13:35.I thank the Right Honourable gentleman for his comments. I will
:13:36. > :13:39.start with the first question around temporary housing. Our commitment
:13:40. > :13:43.has been clear and unchanged from day one, all residents of Grenfell
:13:44. > :13:47.Tower and Grenfell Walk will be offered temporary accommodation in
:13:48. > :13:52.Kensington and Chelsea or a neighbouring borough within three
:13:53. > :13:56.weeks. What that offer means is precisely that, I want to make sure
:13:57. > :13:59.they have high-quality accommodation offered to them that is appropriate
:14:00. > :14:03.for their family type and family size, but they will not be forced
:14:04. > :14:08.and should not be forced, except accommodation they do not want to
:14:09. > :14:13.move into at this point. I was down at the Westway Centre again on
:14:14. > :14:17.Saturday. My honourable friend the Housing minister was there on
:14:18. > :14:21.Sunday. I met with many residents again on that day and talked to many
:14:22. > :14:25.about their needs. I wanted to listen to them, because when
:14:26. > :14:30.officials have come back to me and said they find a lot of them are
:14:31. > :14:35.saying they would rather stay in hotels for now, and perhaps then
:14:36. > :14:40.exercise an opportunity to move into some of the permanent accommodation
:14:41. > :14:43.already identified, especially the 68 units at Kensington Road, that's
:14:44. > :14:47.something we should take into account. It would be wrong for us to
:14:48. > :14:54.say, you can't stay in hotels, you will have to move and then move
:14:55. > :14:57.again. We should be led by them. I have also met residents who said
:14:58. > :15:02.they thought they wanted somewhere close to where they lived before.
:15:03. > :15:05.When I went there, despite the property being high-quality and
:15:06. > :15:08.appropriate in many ways, when they went out side they could see the
:15:09. > :15:14.tower and they were reminded of things they would rather not be and
:15:15. > :15:16.they have changed their mind. I am sure the right honourable gentleman
:15:17. > :15:20.is not saying we should force families to accept it no matter
:15:21. > :15:25.what. We will be led by the families and their needs. Our commitment is
:15:26. > :15:30.clear that come when steak every single family, every household that
:15:31. > :15:34.has come forward to us so far from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell walk
:15:35. > :15:39.would have been offered high quality temporary accommodation.
:15:40. > :15:46.Does that mean hotels? Hotels are emergency accommodation, temporary
:15:47. > :15:50.accommodation, I saw some examples of this myself in a neighbouring
:15:51. > :15:56.borough on Saturday, high-quality temporary accommodation, it might be
:15:57. > :16:01.houses, flats, what ever is the choice of the resident, and then
:16:02. > :16:05.there is permanent social housing to identify the permanent social
:16:06. > :16:09.housing especially if it is in the borough, if that is the desire of
:16:10. > :16:13.the family, it will take more time. It is well known we have identified
:16:14. > :16:18.68 units already and there are other units we are very close to adding to
:16:19. > :16:22.that availability by the game that will be the permanent housing that
:16:23. > :16:25.we will be able to offer those families and let them decide if that
:16:26. > :16:31.is something they feel is appropriate for them -- but again.
:16:32. > :16:37.The testing process can only move as fast as the samples that come in and
:16:38. > :16:40.since I gave my last statement there has been a sharp pick-up in the
:16:41. > :16:45.number of samples coming in from the local authorities and from housing
:16:46. > :16:49.associations and we are turning those around within hours of those
:16:50. > :16:55.coming in and the results immediately going to the landlord.
:16:56. > :17:02.You asked about the test and how it works, it is testing a component of
:17:03. > :17:09.each of the cladding panels and it is testing the core of the panels
:17:10. > :17:16.and it is taking a sample and then categorising it in terms of limited
:17:17. > :17:22.combustibility, category three, two or one, being deemed as not meeting
:17:23. > :17:25.the buildings regulation guidance. He also asked about whether it is
:17:26. > :17:31.testing the whole system, but it is testing because the panel. It is
:17:32. > :17:35.possible that there can be whole system tests, that is not the test
:17:36. > :17:40.that is currently being conducted at the expert panel is now advising and
:17:41. > :17:46.they are meeting again to advise how that can be done appropriately so
:17:47. > :17:49.that we can convince that the whole system test works and leads to a
:17:50. > :17:53.positive result but so far we are yet to see any evidence from any
:17:54. > :17:58.build-up where they have shown that they have passed this whole system
:17:59. > :18:01.test. The right honourable gentleman also asked about funding and again
:18:02. > :18:08.we have made it very clear that what ever measures need to be taken, to
:18:09. > :18:12.make building said, local authorities, housing association
:18:13. > :18:15.said get on with those -- to make buildings safe. We are ready to
:18:16. > :18:22.discuss funding and we will work with them. You also asked about the
:18:23. > :18:26.public inquiry and he has pointed out that it is independent, we have
:18:27. > :18:32.got to be very careful what we say about it. In this house and
:18:33. > :18:35.elsewhere. But let's remember that Sir Martin Moore-Bick started
:18:36. > :18:40.immediately and he started meeting victims and volunteers and others
:18:41. > :18:45.and he will set out the terms of the inquiry and he's not there yet, he
:18:46. > :18:49.should take the right amount of time necessary and make sure that the
:18:50. > :18:52.inquiry is very broad and to the satisfaction of the victims and
:18:53. > :18:58.their families and friends and that they feel that the terms of
:18:59. > :19:02.reference are appropriate. Lastly, you asked Mack Kensington and
:19:03. > :19:10.Chelsea, and clearly the response team at Grenfell that is being
:19:11. > :19:12.referred to, is being led appropriately with tremendous
:19:13. > :19:18.resource on the local government sector and voluntary sector -- you
:19:19. > :19:23.asked about Kensington and Chelsea fought at some point the process of
:19:24. > :19:28.will transfer to the council. We are not at that point yet, but at that
:19:29. > :19:31.point we need to make sure the council is properly resourced with
:19:32. > :19:35.expertise as well as money and any other help that it needs and we will
:19:36. > :19:44.make sure when that happens it is properly resourced. Chris Davis. Can
:19:45. > :19:46.you confirm that you are working with devolved governments to make
:19:47. > :19:51.sure that every tower block around the country is going to the same
:19:52. > :19:58.fire safety tests? Yes, I can confirm that. So far the worst
:19:59. > :20:04.government have identified 13 tower blocks with ACM and they are being
:20:05. > :20:10.tested. Kirsty Blackman. Thank you very much. I thank the Secretary of
:20:11. > :20:13.State for coming to make the statement on the Grenfell Tower
:20:14. > :20:20.badge de and I saw the statement in advance which was very useful. --
:20:21. > :20:23.Grenfell Tower tragedy. I would appreciate knowing how many are
:20:24. > :20:26.still to receive payment and the timescale for those payments and how
:20:27. > :20:32.long they are likely to take. I along with many have been approached
:20:33. > :20:36.by residents who live in multistorey blocks and I would like to commend
:20:37. > :20:41.the work that local authorities have been doing in terms of taking action
:20:42. > :20:48.to test buildings and also taking action to reassure tenants. I used
:20:49. > :20:51.to live in a multistorey and I understand the access issues people
:20:52. > :20:55.are concerned about. I appreciate the moves that have been made by a
:20:56. > :20:59.number of organisations working together in order to provide
:21:00. > :21:03.reassurance. I would restate the position of the SNP that the public
:21:04. > :21:08.inquiry should be as wind raging as possible and every stage of that,
:21:09. > :21:14.the views of the survivors should be taken into account -- wide ranging.
:21:15. > :21:17.I would ask for assurances that residents are being helped as far as
:21:18. > :21:23.possible in the placing lost documentation that they may have
:21:24. > :21:27.lost in the fire. -- replacing. And also asking about those residents
:21:28. > :21:31.who is families would like to take part in the inquiry, who live
:21:32. > :21:36.abroad, and the financial help to make sure they can come to the
:21:37. > :21:38.inquiry and to take an active part. Lastly I would welcome the
:21:39. > :21:42.confirmation that they will be no prosecution of the tenants and it is
:21:43. > :21:44.important that anyone who has been living there comes forward and I
:21:45. > :21:53.welcome the government's views around that. First of all in terms
:21:54. > :21:58.of payments so far, from the discretionary fund, ?5 million
:21:59. > :22:08.available from the fund, 2.44 million has been paid out so far and
:22:09. > :22:13.of the grants, 249,000 have been made and there have been 112
:22:14. > :22:18.payments of the ?5,000 grant. I also should remind people that the
:22:19. > :22:28.listing has no impact on benefits and any other conversation that
:22:29. > :22:31.people might receive. I agree that the inquiry should be as wide
:22:32. > :22:35.ranging as possible and should have the input of the victims and their
:22:36. > :22:45.family and friends. They must have the legal presentation. In terms of
:22:46. > :22:48.lost documentation, I can confirm that from the Westway centre and the
:22:49. > :22:54.victim support unit in my department in Westminster, there has been
:22:55. > :22:56.almost every government department represented and one fantastic
:22:57. > :23:03.example I saw that on Saturday, when I met the team from the DVLA from
:23:04. > :23:07.Swansea and what they had done, when they turned up at the Westway centre
:23:08. > :23:12.within a couple of days after the disaster happening, they had already
:23:13. > :23:16.printed out driving licences and brought them with them so as
:23:17. > :23:21.residents were turning up and saying I need a driving licence, expecting
:23:22. > :23:25.to make an application, it was handed to them when the ID check was
:23:26. > :23:29.done, and that is the extent many government departments had gone to
:23:30. > :23:34.and that is what we expect as we continue to help these people with
:23:35. > :23:42.their recovery with these victims. You have described the test taking
:23:43. > :23:44.place in local authorities and schools and hospitals, what
:23:45. > :23:51.conversations have you had with the insurance industry with regards to
:23:52. > :23:56.totally private tower blocks? Leeds has had much regeneration. It was
:23:57. > :24:00.likely that insurance companies have a vested interest make sure that
:24:01. > :24:06.these blocks are also dealt with before regulations might into place?
:24:07. > :24:09.You are right to point that out and I know the insurance industry has
:24:10. > :24:14.been taking great interest in the work that is happening especially
:24:15. > :24:18.with regard to testing. The Chancellor had a meeting with the
:24:19. > :24:26.insurance industry just last week. David Lammy. The Secretary of State
:24:27. > :24:30.will be aware that the statement from the new independent chair that
:24:31. > :24:37.the scope of the inquiry might be limited to the start of the fire and
:24:38. > :24:42.how the spread has caused alarm amongst its survivors, can he say
:24:43. > :24:49.more about that and can he confirm that all survivors will get proper
:24:50. > :24:59.independent legal advice. Yes, I can confirm that. When I was there again
:25:00. > :25:02.on Saturday, after the first visit made by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, a
:25:03. > :25:04.number of survivors and their families all made that point to me
:25:05. > :25:10.and I think it is worth reiterating and making clear that the inquiry,
:25:11. > :25:17.while the judge will determine that for himself, that we all expect it
:25:18. > :25:21.to be broad and as wide-ranging as possible and absolutely we want to
:25:22. > :25:25.make sure that all the victims and survivors feel that they are
:25:26. > :25:32.properly represented and get the proper financial support given. You
:25:33. > :25:39.have sadly informed the house that so far 100%, 181 samples taken from
:25:40. > :25:42.buildings have failed the combustion tests, and without wishing to
:25:43. > :25:46.prejudice the public inquiry and any future criminal action, would you
:25:47. > :25:50.tell the house whether there is one of origination source for this
:25:51. > :25:54.cladding or if it is multiple sources which hints at a more
:25:55. > :26:05.systemic failure across the industry? It is multiple sources.
:26:06. > :26:10.We hope that he celebrated his honeymoon with great joy, but may I
:26:11. > :26:23.point out, he beat old into the chamber 70 minutes after the
:26:24. > :26:26.statement staff -- he beetle into the chamber 17 minutes after the
:26:27. > :26:30.statement started and it is a slight cheat to expect a question. --
:26:31. > :26:41.slight cheat. The government was told it was
:26:42. > :26:45.capable of processing 100 tests a day but we are now aware there are
:26:46. > :26:49.419 tower blocks that have not been tested, can you tell us where the
:26:50. > :26:53.backlog is and how many samples are in the lab and how many have not
:26:54. > :27:00.been provided across the country and what he's doing to make sure they
:27:01. > :27:03.all supply? There is no backlog because we can only process the
:27:04. > :27:08.tests as soon as the sample is coming and when they come in they
:27:09. > :27:11.are processed within hours and the landlord is informed along with the
:27:12. > :27:18.local Fire and Rescue Service. In terms of the numbers, the original
:27:19. > :27:21.estimate, before we have received back the information from the local
:27:22. > :27:25.authorities and housing associations, there could be up to
:27:26. > :27:36.600 buildings that were similarly clad and we now think it is around
:27:37. > :27:39.530. I commend the Secretary of State for the speed of cladding
:27:40. > :27:44.testing he has referred to. Could you tell the house where there are
:27:45. > :27:46.interim recommendations made, what processes are in place to make sure
:27:47. > :27:56.landlords comply with them and carry them out? What we have done in the
:27:57. > :27:59.immediate term, where there is a piece of cladding that fails the
:28:00. > :28:02.test we have made sure that the landlord in that case is informed
:28:03. > :28:08.immediately and the local Fire and Rescue Service will carry out the
:28:09. > :28:11.fire safety check and we expect all those recommendations to be
:28:12. > :28:15.followed, but with the involvement of a local Fire rescue service and
:28:16. > :28:22.the fact they will report back to my department, we are able to monitor
:28:23. > :28:29.progress. I don't think the Secretary of State made reference to
:28:30. > :28:33.the review of building regulations which officers had the chance to
:28:34. > :28:38.raise with the Prime Minister we were grateful with that opportunity.
:28:39. > :28:42.This review was recommended and it is 11 years since the last review,
:28:43. > :28:48.can he tell us has the independent panel experts, the power and
:28:49. > :28:53.authority to recommend a recall of the building regulations advisory
:28:54. > :28:57.committee working party on approved document be so that this work can
:28:58. > :29:05.begin now rather than wait until the end of the public inquiry?
:29:06. > :29:13.The honourable gentleman makes a very important point about building
:29:14. > :29:19.regulations and guidance. Clearly, there will need to be changes, we
:29:20. > :29:27.need to look very carefully at the causes. The fact so many buildings
:29:28. > :29:31.are failing the guidance test. The expert panel has a wide remit,
:29:32. > :29:35.broadly it is to recommend to government any action that they
:29:36. > :29:41.think we should be taking that will improve public safety, more and
:29:42. > :29:45.longer term we will set out in due course how we intend to tackle a
:29:46. > :29:56.much wider review that we think is going to be necessary. Some have
:29:57. > :30:01.suggested that survivors have been forced to move to cities in the
:30:02. > :30:04.North of England. Can the Secretary of State reassure this house that
:30:05. > :30:10.nobody who chooses to not move out of London will be deemed
:30:11. > :30:15.intentionally homeless? I can. I can tell my honourable friend that I too
:30:16. > :30:18.have heard these kinds of rumours and yet nobody has come forward with
:30:19. > :30:30.any evidence of such thing taking place. I can also reassure my friend
:30:31. > :30:39.that I wrote to every resident on Thursday to make it very clear. The
:30:40. > :30:48.safety of plastic appliances is a vital element of many homes. Will
:30:49. > :30:54.the government revisit the decision of March last year to dismiss or
:30:55. > :30:59.delay many of the recommendations of the review into product recall,
:31:00. > :31:07.which I commissioned in 2014? And will he recognise that this is
:31:08. > :31:15.inadequate and urgently must be addressed? I can tell the honourable
:31:16. > :31:19.member, my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for business,
:31:20. > :31:25.is looking at this very seriously. He's a member of the task force that
:31:26. > :31:30.has been discussing this. He's spoken to many about what can be
:31:31. > :31:41.done to recall products more quickly and safely. I find the sophistry of
:31:42. > :31:45.the Secretary of State quite sickening. People are refusing
:31:46. > :31:49.offers of accommodation because they are not suitable, not because they
:31:50. > :31:54.are fussy people. The units of social housing being offered our
:31:55. > :31:58.existing social housing so what happens to the people who would have
:31:59. > :32:06.gone into those? We will have a net reduction. It is an open secret that
:32:07. > :32:12.the administration could not run a bath. That is why they had such a
:32:13. > :32:21.raw deal for so long. When will he put country before party and sending
:32:22. > :32:27.the commissioners? The honourable gentleman is a local London MP. He
:32:28. > :32:30.has an opportunity to put party politics to one side and do the
:32:31. > :32:36.right thing for his constituents. They are watching him. On Friday
:32:37. > :32:42.afternoon I met with the chief Executive and leader of my borough
:32:43. > :32:51.council in Corby and they assured me that all the requests have been
:32:52. > :32:56.carried out by the local authority. Is there anything more that
:32:57. > :33:05.individual members can do to support people working in local party lines
:33:06. > :33:12.and review processes ahead? I can tell my honourable friend that one
:33:13. > :33:16.rule is making sure their own constituents are well informed about
:33:17. > :33:22.the testing process and what the result actually mean. That is why we
:33:23. > :33:25.published this explanatory notes. Many members have taken that note
:33:26. > :33:35.and used it to inform their constituents. Can I come back to the
:33:36. > :33:42.issue of commissioners. They can be put in to manage their social
:33:43. > :33:48.housing responsibilities. I do believe they should only be put in
:33:49. > :33:53.in extremists. But surely this is an extreme example of a failure of
:33:54. > :33:56.government? Will the Secretary of State say what consideration was
:33:57. > :34:02.given to this request, what factors he's taken into account, and does he
:34:03. > :34:09.have full confidence in the ability of Kensington and Chelsea to manage
:34:10. > :34:12.their social housing stock? What the honourable gentleman rightly
:34:13. > :34:18.highlights is when control of the recovery effort, when that
:34:19. > :34:24.transfers, we need to make sure the right resources are there, including
:34:25. > :34:28.good leadership. That is not about to happen. Before that, the
:34:29. > :34:39.government will consider any options that can bring that about. The
:34:40. > :34:47.Minister describes having a broad and wide-ranging enquiry and yet
:34:48. > :34:49.there is a small remit. Can the minister explain this conflict
:34:50. > :34:57.because this has to get us the answers in the end? What I can tell
:34:58. > :35:04.the honourable lady, and she will now it is important that the judge
:35:05. > :35:11.set the terms of reference. It is just the beginning of the process
:35:12. > :35:15.and I would urge her, give the judge time, speak to victims and
:35:16. > :35:26.volunteers and then come to the final judgment. This terrible
:35:27. > :35:28.disaster raises questions about the effectiveness of local emergency
:35:29. > :35:35.planning and I was wondering what steps are being taken here and
:35:36. > :35:44.elsewhere to ensure they have good emergency responses should other
:35:45. > :35:49.disasters befall them. One of the lessons from this tragedy is making
:35:50. > :35:53.sure across the country we take a look at planning for civil
:35:54. > :36:02.emergencies. That has already been done. Based on the intelligence of
:36:03. > :36:07.survivors it appears a number of flats were overcrowded and we have
:36:08. > :36:18.to assume they were being inhabited illegally. It has been identified as
:36:19. > :36:28.a problem. What other ministers doing to ensure they are properly
:36:29. > :36:37.declaring vulnerable people who work in the building on the night of the
:36:38. > :36:44.fire and about not profiteering from survivors? One of the steps we have
:36:45. > :36:48.taken to recognise was the announcement made yesterday by the
:36:49. > :36:53.Director of Public Prosecutions, which is to say that we want anyone
:36:54. > :36:56.with any piece of public information to come forward and that's why this
:36:57. > :37:00.guarantee that they will not be prosecuted was offered and I think
:37:01. > :37:06.that will help make a big difference. I've been visiting para
:37:07. > :37:10.blocks across my constituency with fire officers and housing officers
:37:11. > :37:14.and residents remain very concerned and do not understand why the
:37:15. > :37:21.government and successive ministers appear to them to have ignored the
:37:22. > :37:25.recommendations of the coroner report on sprinklers. I would
:37:26. > :37:29.suggest ministers shaking their heads opposite try visiting my
:37:30. > :37:33.constituency, stand on the 15th floor and explain it to the
:37:34. > :37:39.residents why they are now sprinklers. I think it is good that
:37:40. > :37:44.she has been visiting para blocks in Bristol, I hope she's been able to
:37:45. > :37:50.reassure some of her constituents, but she's wrong on the
:37:51. > :37:56.recommendations from the coroners report. Those recommendations were
:37:57. > :38:03.implemented fully. Given what the Grenfell Tower fire has exposed
:38:04. > :38:06.about the combustibility of external cladding in the UK, can the Minister
:38:07. > :38:12.confirm whether appropriate tests are being conducted at non-high-rise
:38:13. > :38:20.buildings as well as high-rise buildings? Our priority has been
:38:21. > :38:24.buildings that are taller than 18 metres, more than six stories, and
:38:25. > :38:30.residential, because that's where you would expect the height risk.
:38:31. > :38:36.That is the starting point and the priority and we expect after dealing
:38:37. > :38:42.with that we can make the testing facility available for all other
:38:43. > :38:48.types of buildings. I'm sure the Secretary of State will recognise
:38:49. > :38:54.that many other public buildings have para blocks as part of their
:38:55. > :38:58.accommodation. Can he confirm how many hospitals have been tested so
:38:59. > :39:07.far and how many have failed those tests? I can confirm, as I
:39:08. > :39:15.mentioned, hospitals and schools and other buildings in the public sector
:39:16. > :39:21.are being looked at. It is work led by the policy unit and that process
:39:22. > :39:25.is going on. What has already happened, even before the cladding
:39:26. > :39:29.can be tested, we've made sure that the local Fire and Rescue Service
:39:30. > :39:38.has been informed and any mitigating measures have been taken. The
:39:39. > :39:44.Secretary of State has said testing of the core of the cladding has led
:39:45. > :39:49.to 181 failures, but also that that meant they had breached the building
:39:50. > :39:57.control. Is that building control at the time the cladding was put up or
:39:58. > :40:01.as it stands today? I can tell the honourable gentleman the last time
:40:02. > :40:10.there was any significant change was 2006. Much of this cladding took
:40:11. > :40:14.place in the early to thousands -- 2000s, there has been no significant
:40:15. > :40:20.change in guidance pertaining to fire safety for a number of years.
:40:21. > :40:23.When I mentioned in my statement that they failed the limited
:40:24. > :40:29.combustibility test, it is the same test that has been around for a
:40:30. > :40:33.number of years. Can I just take the Secretary of State back to
:40:34. > :40:37.hospitals? Mine has got cladding put on in the last few years. The whole
:40:38. > :40:42.Royal Infirmary management team have been very reluctant to tell the
:40:43. > :40:48.public about what additional checks have been taken. After being pressed
:40:49. > :40:53.by the local BBC they have admitted that the cladding has been sent for
:40:54. > :40:56.testing. Isn't it about time we had a statement from the Secretary of
:40:57. > :40:59.State for Health so we can be clear about all the hospitals and
:41:00. > :41:05.buildings with cladding so the public know what's happening? I can
:41:06. > :41:11.assure the honourable lady this is being taken very seriously. Where
:41:12. > :41:16.suspected cladding has been found for any hospital, whether a tall
:41:17. > :41:23.building are not, that cladding has been submitted for testing. Even
:41:24. > :41:26.before the results of those tests are back, those local health trusts
:41:27. > :41:34.have taken action. Many of them have put in place full-time fire wardens
:41:35. > :41:42.24 hours a day to make sure they are providing maximum public safety. The
:41:43. > :41:50.lessons of Hillsborough are that survivors must be listened to at all
:41:51. > :41:53.times, the enquiry must be transparent and comprehensive. What
:41:54. > :41:59.assurances can the Minister give in relation to Grenfell Tower? I agree
:42:00. > :42:07.wholeheartedly. There is an important lesson to learn, and I am
:42:08. > :42:12.confident that the judge will represent that as he approaches his
:42:13. > :42:20.enquiry. The first public saying we will see of that is when he sets his
:42:21. > :42:28.terms of reference. Fire box -- high-rise blocks in my constituency
:42:29. > :42:32.are people with English, elderly or per access, will he worked to
:42:33. > :42:38.develop effective strategies to protect those most vulnerable
:42:39. > :42:45.tenants in the effect of a fire or other disaster? There are already
:42:46. > :42:49.many rules and regulations in place but I do think it is important in
:42:50. > :42:52.terms of all the lessons we are learning that we make sure we do
:42:53. > :42:59.everything we can to protect the most vulnerable. I understand the
:43:00. > :43:01.Secretary of State and his department are focusing on the
:43:02. > :43:06.cladding but can I comment on the installation. It was combustible
:43:07. > :43:12.three times quicker than the cladding, experts say that we should
:43:13. > :43:19.look at a system of noncombustible installation. Can I ask what he's
:43:20. > :43:24.doing to investigate the safety of insulation, and when buildings are
:43:25. > :43:29.clouded and the installation is exposed to the elements. What the
:43:30. > :43:31.honourable gentleman highlights is the police report also rightly
:43:32. > :43:37.referring to the installation. What has happened since then is the
:43:38. > :43:41.guidance we've given to local authorities and housing associations
:43:42. > :43:46.has been immediately updated to say that there should be checks on
:43:47. > :43:48.insulation as well. Point of