Government 'in abrupt policy U-turn over fire safety in schools' after the Grenfell Tower disaster

Policy: The Government reportedly plans to relax fire safety requirements for new schools following the Grenfell Tower disaster
Jeremy Selwyn
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Controversial Government plans to relax fire safety requirements for new schools to cut costs have reportedly been dropped in a dramatic policy U-turn following the Grenfell Tower disaster.

It comes after an alleged Department of Education (DoE) rethink over a consultation on new draft guidance it had put in motion last year following the devastating inferno in west London last week.

According to the Observer, the proposed guidance would have removed the requirement that sprinklers be installed in the design of new schools as they are not needed “to achieve a reasonable standard of safety.”

Backed by senior MPs, fire safety experts expressed alarm at the plans, which allegedly no longer stand, over the last year and warned ministers the policy could have catastrophic results.

The reported U-turn is evidence of a drastic change of approach to fire safety in the aftermath of the blaze that left at least 79 people dead or missing feared dead overnight last Wednesday.

And it comes as five towers in Camden were evacuated over concerns about the cladding used on the building amid a nationwide inspection that has so far seen 34 blocks fail cladding tests.

On Friday, Scotland Yard confirmed the Grenfell Tower fire was started by a faulty fridge and said it had spread rapidly through the building due to cladding and insulation that was not fire retardant.

Following the claims, the DfE said there has been no change to fire safety laws for schools. A DfE spokeswoman told the Standard: “There will be no change to the fire safety laws for schools or our determination to protect children’s safety.

“It has always been the case, and remains the case, that where the risk assessment required for any new building recommends sprinklers are installed to keep children safe, they must be fitted.

“Alongside the rest of Government, we will take forward any findings from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire.”

Residents evacuated from Chalcots Estate tower blocks in Camden
EPA

After the fire, the Observer said the revised draft guidance was not available on the DfE website and officials insisted no policy changes from the last document, issued in 2007, had been proposed.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said in the wake of the cladding emergency checks that “this is now a nationwide threat,” and urged the Prime Minister to call for a Cobra committee to co-ordinate action.

Grenfell Tower aftermath - In pictures

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The Prime Minster said local authorities were being urged to send in samples of cladding to be tested and "immediate action" would be taken if they were found not to meet fire safety standards.

She said: "The Government is working with those local authorities affected by this issue to ensure that they're able to do what is necessary on the ground to reassure people about the safety of their blocks, if necessary to evacuate people, and take action to make those tower blocks safe.

"The Government is supporting local authorities to do that and together we are making sure that the resources are there to ensure that what is needed to keep people safe is done.”

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