Seven companies named and shamed in the Grenfell Inquiry are to be investigated and face being placed on a blacklist.
Following the deaths of 72 people in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has given the government’s response to the inquiry, published in September after seven years.
The government has accepted the findings of the report, which found “systematic dishonesty” contributed to the devastating fire and there were years of missed opportunities to prevent the catastrophe.
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Seven organisations criticised in the report will now be investigated under the Procurement Act, Ms Rayner said.
If they are determined to have “engaged in professional misconduct” their names will be added to a “debarment list”, which all contracting authorities will have to take into account when awarding new contracts.
Arconic, Saint-Gobain (the former owner of Celotex), Exova, Harley Facades, Kingspan Insulation, Rydon Maintenance and Studio E Architects will all be investigated.
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Cabinet Office parliamentary secretary Georgia Gould said the organisations will be notified when an investigation is opened, and warned investigations into other organisations could take place.
Ms Rayner, who is also the housing secretary, said the government “accepts the findings” of the inquiry and it will “prioritise residents and protect their interests, and make sure that industry builds safe homes, and provide clearer accountability and enforcement”.
She apologised again to the families and friends of those who died, survivors and those who live around the tower.
“To have anyone anywhere living in an unsafe home is one person too many,” she told the House of Commons.
“That will be our guiding principle and must be that of anyone who wants to build or care for our homes. That will be an important part of the legacy of Grenfell.”
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More training for social housing tenants
She announced “stronger protections” for social housing tenants, giving them more power to challenge landlords and demand safe, high-quality housing.
The “Four Million Homes” training will be expanded – a government-funded initiative that provides guidance and training for social housing tenants.
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However, the National Housing Association (NHA), which represents about 800 housing associations, said it missed the point as it said social housing tenants cannot access government funding to remove dangerous cladding – and manufacturers of unsafe materials have not contributed to the costs.
Kate Anderson, chief executive of the NHA, told Sky News: “The money to fund this work is coming from people on the lowest incomes in this country, and to make matters worse, means fewer homes will be built for those in dire situations on housing waiting lists, living in overcrowded homes and stuck in temporary accommodation.
“The government must put an end to this unfair funding regime and give social housing providers and their residents equal access to building safety funding.”
Ms Rayner also announced:
• A new single construction regulator so those responsible for building safety are held to account
• Tougher oversight of testing and certifying, manufacturing and using construction products – with “serious consequences” for those who break the rules
• A legal duty of candour through a “new Hillsborough Law”, so public authorities must disclose the truth
• Stronger, clearer and enforceable legal rights for residents so landlords are responsible for acting on safety concerns
• A publicly accessible record of all public inquiry recommendations
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Polly Neate, chief executive of housing and homelessness charity Shelter, said it is “right” the government has committed to take forward all the inquiry’s recommendations but said it needs to boost funding for legal aid so people can actually enforce their rights as tenants.
Earlier this month, the government announced the tower, which has stood covered in scaffolding since the fire nearly eight years ago, will be “carefully” demolished in a process likely to take two years.
