Reactions to the government response to the Grenfell inquiry final report

On 26 February 2025 the 'Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response' was presented to Parliament by Angela Rayner the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The government has responded piece by piece to the 58 recommendations given by the inquiry in its 11 chapter policy paper, a long awaited and anticipated official acknowledgement of the outputs and steps forward.

Key elements to the reforms include a single construction regulator, stricter oversight of building products, a legal duty of candour to ensure transparency in major incidents and stronger rights for residents empowering them to challenge landlords on safety issues.

The government response re-emphasised that the tragedy was preventable, stating that the reforms will ensure that no community faces such a disaster again. It also announces that seven of the organisations criticised in the report are being investigated by the government, with the potential outcome being they are barred from public contracts. The potential outcomes being made possible by the Procurement Act 2023 which aims to improve public procurement and came into force only on on 24 February, 2025, two days before.

The government reiterates the need to speed up remediation noting it Remediation Acceleration Plan launched in December 2024, as part of its phase one actions. The second phase being the development of proposals to deliver the recommendations of the inquiry, along with wider reform, supported by legislative changes between 2026 and 2028. From 2028 onwards the reforms will be implemented.

Finally it confirmed its update on the future of Grenfell Tower, stating that nothing will happen until after the eight year anniversary of the tragedy on 14 June, 2025, after which the tower will be carefully dismantled over a two year period. The government says it remains committed to acting respectfully and to ensure lasting change.

The full government response to the Grenfell inquiry report can be found here.

1 The Chartered Institute of Building
2 Construction Leadership Council
3 Royal Institute of British Architects
4 Local Government Association
5 National Fire Chiefs Council
6 London Councils
7 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] The Chartered Institute of Building

Caroline Gumble, CEO at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), said:

“We very much welcome the Government’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report, which will provide the construction industry with much-needed clarity and guidance on the actions that must be taken to reduce the risk of such a tragedy happening again.

“The response is clear on the key areas of focus, and the expected timeline for implementing several of the changes. We will work with government, the new Construction Regulator and Chief Construction Adviser once in place, as well as our sister professional bodies, trade associations and wider industry stakeholders to ensure those working in our industry are competent and quality-driven to create a built environment safe for all its users.

“We recognise there is a significant amount of work to do and the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, while a positive step, was only the beginning. We are ready to play our part in improving the culture in the sector and ensuring construction professionals are appropriately competent to conduct their roles, not only in the case of high-risk buildings but throughout the wider built environment, ensuring public trust in what we build and maintain.

“Since the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report was published in September 2024, we have introduced mandatory continued professional development (CPD) on building safety for our members to ensure they remain up to date and relevant with developments in building safety and evolving regulation and legislation, including best practice.

“Additionally, we have launched the Principal Contractor Competency Certification Scheme (PCCCS) to provide Principal Contractors with a route to proving their competency as required by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). Our intention is also to develop a similar scheme for Principal Designers, which is set to be available later this year. We are also providing building safety training via our Academy.

“Both the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report and the Government’s response provide an opportunity for the construction sector to reflect on its responsibility to building users and learn lessons from the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Our industry still has a long way to go to change its culture and ensure safety is at the heart of everything we do, and today’s announcement is clear that this must be fully addressed and delivered.”

[edit] Construction Leadership Council

Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council and Executive Chair of Mace, said:

“We welcome the publication today of the Government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry’s Phase 2 Report. The Inquiry’s report stated that the tragedy was a result of years of failings from the state and industry, of deregulation, and of poor practice in the construction sector. In our view, the implementation of the recommendations, as set out by the Deputy Prime Minister, will result in safer homes and buildings for those who live and work in them and improve the quality of both the work done by the construction industry, as well as the competence of those working in it.”

“The Inquiry also highlighted widespread failures by manufacturers, the construction products sector and the institutions that should have been responsible for ensuring high standards and assurance of the system. It is incumbent on us all to fully engage with and respond to the proposals for reform set out in the Construction Products Reform Green Paper published alongside the Government’s response.”

“There has been significant progress on building safety made since the Grenfell fire in June 2017, delivered through ongoing collaboration between Government and industry – but we are well aware that there is more we can and must do.”

“There must be continued collective responsibility to drive a meaningful and permanent cultural change and enhance the levels of competence in the construction sector. We will continue to work closely with the Government, regulators, industry bodies and businesses to enable the implementation of these further reforms without undue disruption to the vital work of our industry across the country.”

[edit] Royal Institute of British Architects

RIBA Chair of the Board, Jack Pringle said:

“What happened at the Grenfell Tower was a tragedy that should never have happened and must never happen again. Therefore, we welcome the Government’s vision to create a built environment that is as safe as it can be.

Both the Inquiry Report and the Government have acknowledged the work that we’ve already undertaken to improve the education and training of architects. As recommended, RIBA has committed to reviewing these changes in light of the inquiry’s findings.

Many actions the Deputy Prime Minister outlined echo those which we have also called for, including the need to review the definition of higher-risk buildings, regular updating of Approved Document B, and appointing a Chief Construction Advisor.

Now the work continues, we are committed to engaging across the sector and with the Government to create buildings and homes that are safe and high quality for all.”

[edit] Local Government Association

Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said:

“The Grenfell Tower fire was a tragedy which must never be repeated, and our thoughts remain with those who lost their lives and those affected by the devastating events of June 2017.

“We have long-called for an overhaul of building safety regulations to ensure no-one has to live in fear about their safety, whether that is in the buildings they live in, work in or visit.

“We are pleased the Government has today accepted the inquiry’s recommendations.

“As we now act on these, it is crucial that councils and the fire and rescue services are closely involved, given the leading role they play in fixing buildings and ensuring residents are safe at all times.”

[edit] National Fire Chiefs Council

National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Chair, Mark Hardingham, said:

“At the forefront of our minds as we heard the Deputy Prime Minister’s statement today were the 72 people who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire. For their families, survivors, and the community today is another day living without the people they love and living with the memory of the events of 14th June 2017.

“We strongly welcome the Government’s acceptance of the Phase 2 recommendations in full, their commitment to introducing tough reforms to fix building safety, their promise to hold industry to account, and their support in fire and rescue service improvement and reform. We will study the Government’s proposed reforms in detail, and we remain committed to working collaboratively with them and other partners to support the implementation of the recommendations whilst also providing constructive feedback where further progress is needed.

“We remember the bravery and selflessness of the firefighters who responded to the fire. We also accept that there must be further learning from that night and that more improvements are required to support communities better in the future. Fire and rescue services have sought to learn the lessons of the Grenfell Tower fire over the last eight years; services are now better prepared to respond to fires in high-rise residential buildings. But there is further, significant, work underway to ensure we address the systemic failures that led to the loss of 72 lives. In the months that have followed the publication of the Phase 2 report we have worked closely with fire and rescue services, collecting information about their progress against these recommendations to inform the further work required. NFCC will be publishing delivery plans against the Phase 2 recommendations specific to fire and rescue this spring, ensuring we drive meaningful progress with commitment and pace.

“We steadfastly share the Government’s commitment to ensuring there is a legacy of justice for the victims, the bereaved and the survivors.”

[edit] London Councils

Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said:

“The Grenfell Tower fire took the lives of 72 people and shook London to its core. Our thoughts remain with those who died, their families, and all those in the community impacted by the fire.

“We welcome action to improve building safety standards and to prevent a tragedy like the Grenfell Tower fire happening again. The Grenfell inquiry’s report was damning. Residents were let down by a broken system that failed at every level, with fatal consequences.

“Every Londoner must be safe – and feel safe – in their home. London boroughs have worked hard to improve building safety, but there remains much more to do and we are fully committed to making those improvements.

“Boroughs will continue to work closely alongside the government, the Mayor of London, our residents, and other partners to secure the changes we all want to see.”