Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced new measures which are intended to improve housing safety.
Jenrick says that the “slow pace of improving building safety standards will not be tolerated”.
In a speech addressed to the house of commons, Jenrick outlined that from February he will name building owners where work has not begun to remove unsafe cladding from their buildings.
Jenrick also confirmed that the government will consult on extending the ban on combustible materials to buildings below 18 meters.
Following the legislation, the Health and Safety Executive will now begin to establish the new regulator in shadow form immediately, ahead of its full establishment, according to the government.
It intends to raise building safety and performance standards, including overseeing a new, more stringent regime for high-risk buildings.
Additionally, in order to speed up remediation, the government will appoint a construction expert to review remediation timescales and identify what can be done to improve pace in the private sector.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick MP says: “The government is committed to bringing about the biggest change in building safety for a generation.
“Progress on improving building safety needs to move significantly faster to ensure people are safe in their homes and building owners are held to account.
“That is why today I am announcing a major package of reforms, including establishing the building safety regulator within the Health and Safety Executive to oversee the new regime and publishing consolidated guidance for building owners.
“Unless swift progress is seen in the coming weeks, I will publicly name building owners where action to remediate unsafe ACM cladding has not started. There can be no more excuses for delay, I am demanding immediate action.”
The Health and Safety Executive chair Martin Temple says: “We are proud the government has asked HSE to establish the new building safety regulator.
“HSE’s vast experience of working in partnership with industry and others to improve lives will ensure people are confident the creation of the new regulator is in good hands.”
