The terms of reference for the public inquiry into the Grenfell
Tower tragedy have been published today.
The Prime Minister accepted in full the recommendations by Sir
Martin Moore-Bick, chair of the inquiry, for it to consider:
- The cause and spread
of the fire;
- The design,
construction and refurbishment of Grenfell Tower;
- The scope and adequacy
of the relevant regulations relating to high-rise buildings;
- Whether the relevant
legislation and guidance were complied with in the case of
Grenfell Tower;
- The actions of the
local authority and other bodies before the tragedy; and
- The response of the
London Fire Brigade to the fire and the response of central and
local government in the aftermath.
Prime Minister said:
“It is vital that there is justice for the victims of this
appalling tragedy and for their families who have suffered so
terribly.
“The terms of reference set out by Sir Martin address crucial
issues such as the cause of the fire and the adequacy of building
and fire regulations which will allow the inquiry to get to the
truth of what happened and learn the lessons to stop a similar
catastrophe happening in the future.
“I am determined that the broader questions raised by this fire –
including around social housing - are not left unanswered.
“We are taking action with the Housing Minister meeting social
housing tenants to discuss the challenges they face and we will
be setting out further proposals in due course.”
In addition to specifying the terms of reference, Sir Martin also
identified broader questions on social housing policy, which
after careful reflection he has concluded should not be within
the scope of the Inquiry itself.
The Prime Minister respects the reasons set out by the Chair for
not including these in the Inquiry’s terms of reference, but is
also very clear that should not - and will not - mean the
questions raised are left unanswered or are somehow seen as a
lower priority.
As part of this work the government will now consider how best to
address the social housing issues. The Housing Minister,
, will personally meet and hear
from as many social housing tenants as possible, both in the
immediate area around Grenfell Tower but also across the country
to help build up a comprehensive picture of some of the immediate
issues facing tenants, as well as to identify any common concerns
that must inform any national approach. There will be a further
announcement on this work shortly.
Sir Martin consulted widely ahead of setting out his terms of
reference, including with former residents of Grenfell Tower and
the families of those who died. The consultation received more
than 550 written responses and Sir Martin held meetings with
local residents to discuss their views.
The Government is urging all those affected to participate in the
inquiry so that they can gain as accurate a picture as possible
and all lessons can be learned. To that end the Government has
already announced a 12 month amnesty to allow those who have been
directly affected by the fire to be granted a temporary period of
lawful residence in the UK. This will also allow them to access
ongoing support, including housing, that they may be eligible
for.
The Prime Minister confirmed that 15 August would be the official
start date of the inquiry. Sir Martin set out his intention to
hold a preliminary hearing on 14 September with an initial report
dealing with the cause of the fire and the means with which it
spread to the whole building by Easter next year.
