Review prompted by Grenfell Tower disaster will look at failures in building and fire regulations

Support: Mourners hug in the shadow of the burnt-out tower block
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David Churchill30 August 2017

A review prompted by the Grenfell Tower disaster will consider whether there have been “potential systemic failures” in building and fire regulations.

The independent review, being led by Dame Judith Hackitt, will compare British regulations with examples from around the world to ensure the system is fit for purpose, particularly focusing on tower blocks.

The terms of reference for the review show it will also examine the “theoretical coherence” of the existing rules and how they actually operate in practice after cladding systems installed on high-rise blocks around the country failed fire safety tests carried out in the wake of the fatal blaze in west London.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We must learn the lessons of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and ensure that a fire like this cannot happen again.”

The review will submit an interim report this autumn with a final version due to be on ministers’ desks in spring 2018.

It will co-operate with Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s public inquiry into the blaze in June which killed at least 80 people.

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