Fire regulations review was never published

A review of building regulations covering fire safety was promised by Theresa May’s chief of staff last year but has not been published.

Gavin Barwell told MPs in October that part B of the regulations would be reviewed following the investigation into the fatal 2009 Lakanal House fire in south-east London.

The review was never published and fire safety experts claimed the government’s desire to cut red tape could have prevented ministers introducing new safety measures.

Mr Barwell, who was housing minister at the time, told the Commons: “We have publicly committed ourselves to reviewing part B following the Lakanal House fire.”

Former chief fire officer Ronnie King, honorary secretary of the allparty parliamentary group on fire safety and rescue, said the regulations “badly need updating” and “three successive ministers have not done it”.

He told the Press Association: “It’s sad that we always have to go to stable-door legislation.

“Lakanal House wasn’t enough deaths to trigger off a major public inquiry.

“It just went to an inquest, there was no formal report on it.”

Asked why he thought the review of building regulations had not been produced, he said: “My own thinking is there was the red tape challenge and they don’t really want to put regulation on to businesses, adding a burden.”