The announcement comes after the government welcomed Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety.

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The government has committed to:

• launching a consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in cladding systems on high-rise residential buildings
• banning desktop studies if the current consultation – which closes on 25^th May – does not demonstrate that they can be safely used
• ensuring residents have a better mechanism for blowing the whistle on landlords who do not maintain safe buildings
• changing the law to achieve meaningful and lasting reform of the building regulatory system, with strong sanctions for those who fail to comply
• inviting views to inform how the government could implement major reform of the regulatory system
• restructuring building regulations fire safety guidance to ensure it is clear

These commitments are in addition to the £400m of funding announced by Theresa May to fully fund local authorities and housing associations with the removal and replacement of aluminium composite material cladding, the type used on Grenfell Tower.

“It has been deeply moving to hear directly from the Grenfell Tower survivors and community in my first few weeks as secretary of state,” said James Brokenshire, secretary of state for housing (pictured above).

“This was a terrible tragedy that should never have happened.

“I welcome Dame Judith Hackitt’s comprehensive report and her calls for fundamental reform in the building sector.

“I am committed to making that happen as quickly as possible.”