😔 Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report

Commons Chamber

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The Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 Report revealed systemic failures across political, corporate, and individual levels, leading to the tragic loss of 72 lives in 2017. The government has accepted all 58 recommendations and plans to implement them, alongside further reforms in social housing and construction. Angela Rayner announced the creation of a new construction regulator and measures to hold companies accountable, including investigations under the Procurement Act 2023. The ongoing struggle for justice and the need for swift action to ensure building safety remain critical, with the government committing to regular updates and a focus on resident safety.

Summary

  • The Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 Report has called for systemic change, and the government has accepted all 58 recommendations, with 37 specifically directed at them. They will provide quarterly progress reports and annual updates to Parliament.

  • The government aims to prioritize residents’ safety, improve accountability and enforcement in the housing and construction sectors, and plans to create a single construction regulator and a chief construction adviser.

  • The report highlighted decades of political, corporate, and individual failures that led to the Grenfell tragedy, which claimed 72 lives, including 18 children. The government apologized to the bereaved families, survivors, and the community.

  • New measures include professionalizing fire engineers and assessors, licensing principal contractors, reviewing building control roles, and publishing a construction products reform Green Paper to address systemic dishonesty in the sector.

  • Tougher regulations and penalties, such as prison time and unlimited fines, are proposed for executives who compromise safety, aiming to create a culture of responsibility and root out rogue companies.

  • Existing legislation like the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021, and Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 aim to improve safety standards and accountability for landlords.

  • A remediation acceleration plan is in place to fix buildings with dangerous cladding by July 2025, and responsibility for fire functions will move to the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

  • MPs expressed concerns about the slow pace of justice and remediation, urging quicker action and better oversight mechanisms for public inquiry recommendations.

  • The debate highlighted the need for better treatment of social housing tenants, with calls for stronger tenant empowerment and addressing the disproportionate impact on disabled residents.

  • The government is considering a national oversight mechanism for public inquiries and will review construction product testing to ensure safety and accountability.

Divisiveness

The transcript of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report session in the House of Commons indicates a very low level of disagreement among the speakers. The session was primarily focused on the government’s response to the inquiry report and its acceptance of all 58 recommendations. There was a unified call for action and a commitment to systemic change across the various speakers from different parties.

  • Angela Rayner (Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government) started the session by emphasizing the government’s acceptance of the report’s findings and their commitment to implement all the recommendations. She outlined specific measures the government intended to take, like creating a single construction regulator and ensuring accountability for companies involved in the tragedy.

  • Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative) echoed the sentiment of the tragedy and the need for change, showing support for the government’s response and actions. Although he posed a question regarding the recommendation for a single regulator for construction products, it was less a point of disagreement and more a probe for clarity, which Angela Rayner addressed constructively.

  • Florence Eshalomi (Labour/Co-operative) provided additional insights into the system’s failure towards tenants, but her questions were met with supportive responses from Angela Rayner, indicating a willingness to work on the issues raised.

  • Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat) expressed support for the government’s decision to work with the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission and urged for further action on cladding remediation, which was met with agreement from Angela Rayner.

  • Other members from different parties such as Joe Powell (Labour), Bob Blackman (Conservative), and Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat) also raised specific concerns and suggestions, all of which were responded to by Angela Rayner in a manner that reaffirmed the government’s commitment to action rather than sparking a significant disagreement.

The session’s dialogue was characterized by constructive criticism and questions seeking assurance and clarification on the implementation rather than overt disagreement. Members from all political sides expressed shared goals of ensuring safety and accountability. The few instances where additional proposals were mentioned, like from Clive Betts and Richard Tice, were met with openness to consider and incorporate these suggestions, maintaining the overall consensus and cooperative atmosphere.

Thus, the session earns a disagreement rating of 1, reflecting the minimal level of discord and the predominant focus on unity and action towards improving building safety standards.