Following recommendations made in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase II report, accountability for fire and building safety will fall under the remit of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) from 1st April 2025.
Previously the Home Office was responsible for fire and building safety with the report’s authors critical of the ‘dispersed’ nature of regulation for overseeing standard of competence. It recommended the centralisation of responsibilities; a recommendation among 57 others which were accepted by the government in February 2025. Doing so would bring ‘greater clarity and accountability’ to the responsibility for the coordination and policy implementation of the report recommendations.
The Minister for Building Safety and Local Growth who will be taking on responsibility for fire functions Alex Norris said:
“Ensuring the safety of people in their homes and communities is a top priority for this government. By bringing all fire and building safety responsibilities under one department, we are reinforcing accountability, improving coordination, and taking decisive action to protect lives.
“I would like to thank Dame Diana Johnson for her work in this important area. I look forward to working with fire and rescue services and key stakeholders to implement the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations and drive forward the reforms needed to keep people safe. This is a significant step in delivering meaningful change, making our buildings safer, and strengthening our country’s resilience for the future.”
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:
“It has been an honour and privilege to serve as Minister for Fire. I would like to express my utmost gratitude to the brave firefighters in our fire and rescue services, who selflessly dedicate themselves to protecting the public from fire every day.
“I would also like to thank the government officials and stakeholders from across the sector I have worked with over the past nine months. Their drive to make the sector stronger has been invaluable and I am certain my good friend Alex Norris will also benefit from their advice.”
Acknowledging the failings identified in the Phase II report, the Prime Minister said the transfer of Ministerial responsibility for all fire functions to MHCLG represented an ‘important part of this work’ adding the government will continue to press ahead with remediation works to avoid disasters like Grenfell happening in the future.
One Response
It is absolutely essential to the concept of reasonably practicable fire safety of relevant persons, in case of fire,that the following principles are adhered to when fire authorities deploy their powers under the 2005 RRFSO
1. All fire safety law enforcers must be from the front line of fire and rescue operations.
2. Any other fire safety inspector without practical fire and rescue front line experience must be closely monitored by a competent fire safety regulatory uniformed line manager.
3. Every fire authority must ensure that all regulatory fire safety enforcers fully understand all relevant duties and powers of the RRFSO ,in particular those relative to suitable and sufficient fire risk assessments and the full enforcement powers open to them.