Responding to the Welsh Government’s statement on the Building Safety Regime White Paper today (19 January), the Welsh Conservative spokesperson - Janet Finch-Saunders MS - warned of the potential delay in legislation's implementation.
Speaking after the virtual session, the Member said:
“This Welsh Parliament needs to deliver the best quality buildings possible in order to ensure that residents are safe. As the comprehensive consultation document has shown, this will be no easy task to achieve, but this White Paper is an important first step which outlines a way forward for Wales.
“However, given that the White Paper proposes that a Joint Inspection Team be established for an initial period of two years, I am greatly concerned that the pace of implementation is not as it should be.
“This is an important area of public policy that requires a dedicated and well-paced response. Frustratingly, the White Paper has instead been delivered 32 months after Dame Hackitt’s final report on building regulations, and over three and a half years since the Grenfell tragedy”.
At present, the scope of the proposed regime would capture a house converted into two flats, through to a high-rise apartment block. All properties will also be subjected an annual fire risk assessment undertaken by a suitably qualified person.
Mrs Finch-Saunders has warned of the pitfalls of these proposals, saying:
“Category two could encompass 37,000 properties, and around 130,000 flats. Is it reasonable to have a house which is converted into two flats in the same category as a 5 storey purpose built block of flats?
“Consideration ought to be given to splitting Category two in two. Whilst I am aware that the Welsh Government could set out the legislation in a way that would allow category classifications to be amended via regulations, we must get this right in the first instance.
“I also worry that the expectation that all properties should undertake an annual fire risk assessment, by a suitably qualified person, could be the legislation’s Achilles heel.
“There are currently no estimates as to how many suitably qualified individuals are working in Wales, so the demand from around 37,000 properties annually could lead to the cost and pressure for such a service rocketing, with corners cut as a result.
“The Hackitt report highlighted that the current regulatory regime is fractured, so I encourage the Welsh Government to be bold and pursue the option of a single national regulator, one which unites existing regulatory oversight in Wales, and could deliver a streamline system which is completely committed to building and fire safety.
“I am disappointed that the Minister found herself unable to address many of my technical questions. I will be writing to her reiterating my points so that she may respond fully”.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
