The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has issued
a call for evidence for
its short inquiry into the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
The inquiry will focus on reports of delays to approvals by the
regulator for new high-rise buildings and maintenance of existing
buildings.
The Committee is seeking evidence from building industry
specialists, housing associations, architects, resident groups,
safety experts, local authorities and other relevant stakeholders
on a number of questions, including:
- has the introduction of the BSR improved the safety of the
buildings it is responsible for?
- does the Building Safety Regulator's regulatory framework
strike the right balance between providing a holistic,
outcomes-based view of safety and ensuring that developers and
building owners understand what they are required to do?
- what impacts could the framework have on the delivery of the
Government's housing targets?
- to what extent are delays in approvals for high-rise
buildings down to the regulatory processes used by the BSR?
- are the BSR's approval processes sufficiently clear and
understandable to developers?
- does the BSR have access to the skilled staff necessary to
carry out multidisciplinary assessments of safety?
- is the relationship between the BSR and building control
authorities and inspectors working well?
- how does the Building Safety Regulator's work relate to the
regulation of construction products?
- how does the Building Safety Regulator's regulatory framework
compare to how building safety is assured in other countries and
jurisdictions?
Baroness , Chair of the Industry and
Regulators Committee, said:
“The safety of residents in higher-risk buildings was at the
heart of the Building Safety Regulator being set up in 2022.
The Committee wants to hear from all stakeholders to find out if
the BSR has the skills and resources required to ensure the
safety of all buildings and its residents in the process of
approving applications for high-rise buildings.
This is crucial if the Government is going to achieve its
manifesto target of building 1.5 million homes over the next
Parliament.”
The complete list of questions, plus details how to submit
evidence by the deadline of Sunday 31 August
2025, can be found on the Committee's website.
The inquiry will hold its first evidence session
on Tuesday 24 June by hearing
from developers and housing associations.
The session begins at 10am and can be followed live or afterwards
on Parliament TV.
Notes to editors
- Following the Grenfell Tower fire the Building Safety
Regulator (BSR) was set up under the Building Safety
Act 2022 to; regulate higher-risk buildings, raise safety
standards of all buildings, help professionals in design,
construction, and building control, to improve their
competence.
The BSR sets out rules to protect the design and construction of
higher-risk buildings. They help give residents confidence
in the safety and standards of their building.
- For media enquiries, please contact Alec Brand on 020 7219
3922 or email branda@parliament.uk
- The call for evidence url is: https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/3685/
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The Industry and Regulators
Committee considers matters relating to industry,
including the policies of His Majesty's Government to promote
industrial growth, skills, and competitiveness, and to
scrutinise the work of UK regulators.
