Government promises to help local authorities with essential fire safety works lie in shatters after it refused to pay for sprinklers in tower blocks.
Communities secretary Sajid Javid has refused to commit funding to retro-fit sprinklers to tower blocks, saying that the government will instead await the outcome of a review of fire safety in housing before deciding whether sprinklers should be required by law and paid for by the Government.
But according to Labour MP Dan Carden now is not the time for another review – “we need commitments” to ensure a tragedy such as Grenfell doesn’t repeat itself.
Speaking in the Commons he said: “The secretary of state does not understand that people outside of this place simply cannot grasp his reluctance to accept that sprinklers in tower blocks are necessary fire safety works.”
After Grenfell, Govt promised to help local authorities with essential fire safety works, yet refuses to pay for sprinklers in tower blocks pic.twitter.com/zWthqJjrZw
— Dan Carden MP (@DanCardenMP) October 31, 2017
The strong words come after Mr Javid avoided making any commitment on funding on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
He said that safety assessments are being carried out in high-rises around the country and that “whatever essential fire safety work needs to happen, should happen, and if the assessment is that requires sprinklers, then that should happen too.”
“Those recommendations whatever they are, and I’m not going to second guess them, they will be taken very, very seriously, that’s the correct way to do this.”
RELATED
Coach tour company takes Chinese tourists to take photos and selfies at Grenfell Tower tragedy site
Since you are here
Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.
Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.
Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.
If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.
To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.
The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.
The shop can be found here.
You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .
