MPs call for independent oversight mechanism to avoid Government “marking its own homework” on Grenfell recommendations

The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee has called for an independent national oversight mechanism in relation to implementation of the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, saying this would avoid the Government "marking its own homework".

In a letter to Secretary of State Angela Rayner, the committee suggested that the inclusion of an oversight mechanism in the upcoming ‘Hillsborough Law’ would reduce the risk of future governments “repeating the catastrophic mistakes which have historically led to state-related deaths, from Hillsborough, to the infected blood scandal, to the Grenfell Tower fire itself”.

The committee’s recommendations to Government cover areas including:

• engagement with Grenfell residents
• capacity in the building control sector
• the work of the Building Safety Regulator
• delays in the sign off on the safety of buildings
• evacuation plans
• fire and rescue services

Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the HCLG Committee said: “It’s right that the Government have accepted all the recommendations from a Phase 2 report that outlined deep failings that led to the Grenfell disaster.

“But how can the loved ones of the Grenfell victims be asked to trust the Government to mark their own homework when they have spent nearly eight years fighting for answers as to why people were denied the most basic level of safety?

“That’s why as a committee we strongly endorse calls for an independent mechanism to hold Government to account on implementing the Phase 2 recommendations.”

Eshalomi added: “The Grenfell fire highlighted the toxic stigma too often faced by those living in social housing, where resident concerns were cruelly dismissed, neglected and ignored.

“As a committee, we are determined to shine a light on this issue and to hold the Government to account…

“Never again must people be left without such basic levels of safety in their own home.”

A Government spokesperson said: “The Grenfell Tower tragedy claimed 72 innocent lives in a disaster that should never have happened. We are acting on all of the Inquiry’s findings, working closely with industry, local authorities and the bereaved, survivors and residents, and have committed to updating on progress regularly.

"We have also committed to introducing a more robust system to improve the transparency, accessibility and scrutiny of inquiry recommendations received by government."

Harry Rodd