The Construction Products Reform White Paper sets out that all products must be properly assessed before being used in the building process. Currently, only around a third of construction products are regulated; the new general safety requirement will mean that all products undergo the proper checks.
The government has published a consultation on this requirement today, with secondary legislation expected later this year and all changes coming in as soon as parliamentary time allows.
The proposals come as the government publishes the first Annual Report on the implementation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. The report confirms that 12 recommendations—including bringing government fire safety functions under the control of a single department—have been completed. Over 40 (70%) of the 58 recommendations are expected to be completed by the end of the year.Furthermore, the government has introduced the Grenfell Tower Memorial (Expenditure) Bill. This provides the spending authority to support the creation and long-term management of a permanent memorial, a second site where the tower will be laid to rest, and an archive and permanent exhibition.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “The Grenfell fire was a tragedy that must never be repeated. Everyone should feel safe in their home. We are making progress implementing the Inquiry recommendations, but there is more to do as we continue to learn and act on the mistakes of the past.”
While the government’s announcement marks a major regulatory shift, advocacy groups representing the bereaved and survivors have consistently called for a ‘trust but verify’ approach to new legislation. Their historical focus remains on ensuring that these rules are backed by swift enforcement and criminal accountability.
Grenfell United, representing survivors and bereaved families, has campaigned since 2017 for the regulation of all construction products. The group has frequently argued that for too long, the construction industry has ‘operated like the Wild West’, with manufacturers effectively ‘marking their own homework’.
Similarly, Justice4Grenfell’s long-standing position is that progress reports and White Papers do not, in themselves, remove flammable cladding, and that ‘real justice’ must include the criminal prosecution of those who knowingly sold unsafe products.
Finally, while the Grenfell Next of Kin group has previously welcomed the concept of a lasting memorial, they have warned that such milestones must not overshadow the need for legal justice. A consistent theme from the community is that the ongoing legacy of the Inquiry’s findings should serve as a reminder that the reforms today are the bare minimum of what should have existed before June 2017.