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Grenfell Tower Inquiry Terms of Reference 23/08/2017 Labelled as Consultation, Regulation

Details of the Terms of Reference for the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry have been published and the Prime Minister has announced that the Housing Minister will meet with social housing tenants to discuss the broader questions around social housing and the challenges they face.

 

The Chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry received over 550 written responses to a consultation document on the terms of reference for the Public Inquiry including a joint response to the consultation document submitted by ARCH together with the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), National Federation of Almos (NFA) and Inside Housing (IH). Click here to see copy of the CIH/ARCH/NFA/IH response.

 

Although the response to the consultation indicated that many of those affected by the fire and some others felt strongly that the scope of the Inquiry should be very broad and should include an examination of social housing policy and broader questions of a social, economic and political nature, the Inquiry Chair considered that such matters were not suitable for a judge-led inquiry and would add significantly to the length of time needed to complete its work.

 

The Inquiry's recommended Terms of Reference are therefore limited to examination of the circumstances surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017, including:

 

  • The immediate cause or causes of the fire and the means by which it spread to the whole of the building;

 

  • The design and construction of the building and the decisions relating to its modification, refurbishment and management;

 

  • 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;

 

  • 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;

 

  • 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;

 

  • The fire prevention and fire safety measures in place at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017;

 

  • The response of the London Fire Brigade to the fire; and

 

  • The response of central and local government in the days immediately following the fire.

 

Read Sir Martin Moore-Blick's letter and recommendations to the Prime Minister. In responding to the letter from the Chair of the Inquiry, the Prime Minister has accepted the recommended Terms of Reference for the Inquiry without amendment and announced an immediate start date of 15 August for the Inquiry.

 

However, in doing so, the Prime Minister said that she was determined that the broader questions raised by the fire - including around social housing - are not left unanswered.

 

As part of this work the Prime Minister promised that the Government will now consider how best to address the social housing issues and that Housing Minister, Alok Sharma, will personally meet and hear from as many social housing tenants as possible, both in the immediate area around Grenfell Tower but also across the country to help build up a comprehensive picture of some of the immediate issues facing tenants, as well as to identify any common concerns that must inform any national approach. Read the Prime Minister's response to Sir Martin Moore-Blick.

 

A further announcement on this aspect of work to be led by the Housing Minister is expected soon and ARCH Chief Executive John Bibby has been in touch with officials at DCLG to offer to facilitate meetings with the Housing Minister and the ARCH Tenant Group on this wider review.

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