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Grenfell inquiry told government had ideological aversion to red tape
Brandon Lewis is first government minister to give evidence at inquiry in London
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis giving evidence as part of the inquiry into the Grenfell fire.
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis giving evidence as part of the inquiry into the Grenfell fire. Photograph: Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA
Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent
Wed 30 Mar 2022 16.26 BST
Calls to regulate against the potential incompetence of people who check fire risks in buildings before the Grenfell Tower disaster were dismissed by government ministers because of an “ideological” aversion to increasing red tape, the public inquiry has heard.
Two coroners investigating earlier fire fatalities, the London fire brigade commissioner and the government’s own chief fire adviser were among experts who asked ministers to toughen scrutiny of fire risk assessors, according to testimony heard during cross-examination of Brandon Lewis, the first government minister to give evidence.
The inquiry heard ministers were urged to tighten rules on seven different occasions in the decade before the fire. It has since emerged that the fire risk assessor hired by the Grenfell Tower landlord to check the disastrous refurbishment works was not qualified to say the cladding complied with regulations.
Carl Stokes made up letters after his name to suggest professional registrations that either did not exist or he did not have. He wrongly concluded the combustible cladding was “fire rated” in a move an expert to the inquiry called “professionally reckless”.
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Grenfell inquiry told government had ideological aversion to red tape
Brandon Lewis is first government minister to give evidence at inquiry in London
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis giving evidence as part of the inquiry into the Grenfell fire.
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis giving evidence as part of the inquiry into the Grenfell fire. Photograph: Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA
Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent
Wed 30 Mar 2022 16.26 BST
Calls to regulate against the potential incompetence of people who check fire risks in buildings before the Grenfell Tower disaster were dismissed by government ministers because of an “ideological” aversion to increasing red tape, the public inquiry has heard.
Two coroners investigating earlier fire fatalities, the London fire brigade commissioner and the government’s own chief fire adviser were among experts who asked ministers to toughen scrutiny of fire risk assessors, according to testimony heard during cross-examination of Brandon Lewis, the first government minister to give evidence.
The inquiry heard ministers were urged to tighten rules on seven different occasions in the decade before the fire. It has since emerged that the fire risk assessor hired by the Grenfell Tower landlord to check the disastrous refurbishment works was not qualified to say the cladding complied with regulations.
Carl Stokes made up letters after his name to suggest professional registrations that either did not exist or he did not have. He wrongly concluded the combustible cladding was “fire rated” in a move an expert to the inquiry called “professionally reckless”.