Month: July 2018

The government has clarified building regulations fire safety guidance, following recommendations made by Dame Judith Hackitt, and is seeking views on the revisions in a consultation launched today (Thursday 19 July).

The Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, has also said he will go further by conducting a full-scale review of the guidelines, known as ‘Approved Document B’, commencing in the autumn.

The technical review will assess, amongst other things, whether the underlying policy should be updated to reflect modern building practice, the latest understanding of fire risks and technical and scientific innovations.

Alongside the consultation and review of Approved Document B, the government has also announced a package of additional measures to strengthen safety:

• establishing a panel, made up of residents, to ensure proposed safety improvements are grounded in the experience of those who live in high-rise buildings
• Dame Judith Hackitt will chair a soon-to-be established Industry Safety Steering Group to drive the culture change needed to improve safety and hold industry to account
• working with a small group of organisations from industry to pilot safety improvements in line with Dame Judith Hackitt’s recommendations, demonstrating early leadership on building safety reform
• introducing a mandatory requirement on landlords in the private rented sector to ensure electrical installations in their property are inspected every 5 years

Secretary of State for Communities, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:

There is nothing more important than ensuring people are safe in their own homes. That is why I am announcing a package of measures focused on improving building safety, having listened carefully to the concerns which have been raised.

Dame Judith’s report sets out the right framework to improve safety but I will not hesitate to go further than the recommendations where I deem it necessary. That is why I am going further than my original commitment to simply clarify the guidelines, by commencing an end-to-end technical review of the fire safety aspects of building regulations in the autumn.

Further information

During the summer, the government has:

Launched a consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings which are 18 metres and above. The consultation closes on 14 August.

Consulted on banning or restricting the use of ‘desktop studies’ from being used to assess the fire performance of cladding systems, unless our separate consultation demonstrates that they can be safely used. The consultation has closed and the government is reviewing the responses.

Made available £400 million to fund the removal and replacement of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding in the social sector. Local authorities and housing associations can apply here.

Announced further action to support local authorities as they work with building owners to remove potentially unsafe cladding on private sector high-rise residential buildings.

Approved Document B

Approved Document B is a part of the building regulations guidance in England covering fire safety matters within and around buildings.

The government is consulting on clarified guidance and has launched a consultation today. The government also intends to carry out a wider technical review, in line with standard practice. A call for evidence will be published this autumn seeking views on the technical issues contained within the document.

Additional information

Consultation on banning the use of combustible materials on the external walls of high-rise residential buildings

Consultation on restricting or banning the use of ‘desktop studies’ as a way of assessing the fire performance of external cladding systems

Further information on the government’s action plan to accelerate the remediation of private high-rise residential buildings with ACM cladding

The government is fully funding the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding by councils and housing associations, estimated at £400 million

Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety was published in May 2018 and the government provided a response to her report on the same day.

The plans will protect around 8,000 personnel who would otherwise be negatively affected by the income tax hikes. Personnel will be compensated with an annual payment to make sure that all troops, regardless of where they are deployed or where their families are based, will pay the same income tax.

Following the announcement of Scottish Government’s tax changes, in March Mr Williamson ordered work to start on how the Ministry of Defence would mitigate the impact, following concerns that the changes could result in Scotland becoming a less attractive place for military personnel to be posted to.

The measures announced today will protect nearly three quarters of all armed forces personnel liable for Scottish Income Tax and will help with recruitment and retention, particularly as many of those affected are personnel with specialist skills, such as aircraft and submarine engineers.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

It is completely wrong for the brave men and women of our Armed Forces to be punished for serving in Scotland by unfair raids on their pay packets by the Scottish Government.

That’s why we have taken this urgent action to ensure that our troops are treated equally and fairly.

I’m proud that the UK Government recognises the sacrifices our Armed Forces make across the United Kingdom and the world, and that today we can reassure our service personnel that they will not be left hundreds of pounds out of pocket because of decisions taken by the Scottish Government.

The financial mitigation measures will:

• Be payable to all regular personnel who pay Scottish Income Tax, regardless of where in the world they are serving. Mitigation payments of between £12 and £1,500 will be paid.
• Cover personnel for tax year 2018/19 and will be a single payment made retrospectively
• The case for financial mitigation will be reviewed annually

The MOD will continue to review the situation each year and make decisions each tax year as to whether the difference between Scottish tax and tax elsewhere in the UK is sufficient to warrant financial mitigation. The annual cost to the MOD for Tax Year 2018/19 is expected to be £4 million.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said:

Scotland, and military personnel who have made Scotland their home, play a key role in our nation’s defence. Whether it’s working on our nuclear deterrent, protecting NATO airspace, or building local security expertise in the Middle East, Scotland-based troops are engaged right now in protecting the UK and its allies.

Scotland Secretary David Mundell said:

Our servicemen and women make a huge contribution to the communities and the economy of Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s decision to make Scotland the most highly taxed part of the UK means they would be unfairly penalised and it’s absolutely right that the UK Government has taken steps to address that.

Scotland plays an important role in UK Defence supporting over 10,000 industry jobs and is renowned for building the world’s finest warships including the UK’s new aircraft carriers and the Royal Navy’s state-of-art Type-26 frigates.

Scotland also benefits from £1.6 billion investment in local industry and an average of £290 expenditure per person each year. Some of the most important national defence capabilities including HM Naval Base Clyde, home to Britain’s nuclear deterrent and hunter-killer submarines and RAF Lossiemouth defending the UKs airspace with its three Typhoon combat aircraft squadrons and 51st Infantry Brigade.

A consultation on proposed planning reforms for exploratory shale gas development in England has been launched by the government today (19 July 2018).

Seeking views on early proposals looking at the principle of whether to designate exploratory drilling for shale gas resources as a new form of permitted development, it would mean that planning consent would not be required.

With the government committed to ensuring that strong safeguards are in place, any new permitted development right would have to abide by both environmental and site protection laws and would not apply to exploratory drilling in sensitive areas (such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

Exploratory drilling for shale deposits are treated separately to full hydraulic shale gas extraction, both will remain subject to strict planning and environmental controls.

The 14-week consultation, open until 25 October 2018, will make sure that those with an interest in shale development can have their say and input their views.

The government will then analyse the comments and issue its response later in 2018.

Background

A further consultation on any specific legislative reforms will follow the government’s response if these are required.

Government will also consult on whether developers should be required to undertake pre-application community engagement prior to submitting a planning application for shale gas development. This consultation will be launched in autumn 2018.

View the consultation document on Gov.uk

The consultation follows the publication of a written ministerial statement on the 17 May 2018, in which the government announced a range of measures to facilitate timely decision making on shale exploration planning applications.

The organising committee for the UK’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai today announces the panel of experts that will decide the winning design for the UK Pavilion. From architects to artists, the 11 members are looking for a design concept that will create the most original, inspiring and memorable visitor experience possible.

Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton Dame Wendy Hall; Founder and Principal of AL_A Amanda Levete CBE; UK Space Agency director Rebecca Evernden and artist Idris Khan OBE are among the panel members, and will challenge all entrants from a creative and technical standpoint.

The theme of the UK Pavilion will be ‘Innovating for a Shared Future’ and will be built in the Opportunity District of the Expo site in Dubai. The winning design will be announced later in 2018. Led by the Department for International Trade (DIT), the UK Pavilion will host a business and cultural programme to promote the UK as a world-class destination for business, education and tourism.

Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, said:

Expo 2020 is a fantastic platform to promote Global Britain on the world stage. The UK Pavilion will demonstrate the best of British to millions of people, emphasising the high quality of the innovative goods and services produced by our world-leading businesses.

The UK has a proud history of building successful showcases at World Expos, and supported by this excellent panel, the government is confident that Expo 2020 will create even more terrific opportunities for UK companies.

Laura Faulkner, UK Commissioner and Project Director, Expo 2020 Dubai, said:

We’re delighted that such an esteemed, accomplished and varied panel are joining us to decide on the winning design of the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020.

Previous UK Pavilions at World Expos have attracted a significant number of visitors, with the Thomas Heatherwick-designed Seed Cathedral and Wolfgang Buttress’s Hive both going on to win a number of major awards.

The Pavilion will showcase the best of UK design, manufacturing, technology and much more throughout the 172 days of the Expo, and we look forward to announcing the winning design later this year.

Expo 2020 is taking place in Dubai from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021. With 180 nations participating and an expected 25 million visitors, it is a global platform to promote UK international agendas and showcase the best of British innovation, creativity and global leadership. The focus in Dubai will be on space, technology, entrepreneurship, global and regional development and creative industries.

The judging panel comprises:

• Rebecca Evernden: Director of International UK Space Agency
• Professor Dame Wendy Hall DBE FREng FRS: Professor of Computer Science and Executive Director of the Web Science Institute, University of Southampton
• Idris Khan OBE: Artist
• Amanda Levete CBE; Founder and Principal of AL_A
• Sarah Mann; Head of Architecture, Design & Fashion, British Council
• Jim MacDonald, Chief Executive, Architecture & Design Scotland
• Stephen Metcalfe MP, Member of the Science and Technology Select Committee
• Professor Sadie Morgan, Director, dRMM Architects
• Kathryn Parsons MBE, Founder and CEO, Decoded, UK
• Dr Mike Short CBE, Chief Scientific Advisor, Department for International Trade
• Laura Faulkner OBE: UK Commissioner and Project Director, Expo 2020 Dubai
• Christine Losecaat MBE, Client Creative Advisor, UK Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai (advisor to the panel)

In addition to creating a stand out pavilion, UK businesses are winning a significant amount of Expo 2020 related contracts, exceeding £1.3 billion to date, playing a major part in helping deliver Expo 2020 Dubai.

Media enquiries:

• Contact the DIT Media Team on 020 7215 2000 or email newsdesk@trade.gov.uk
• Follow us on Twitter @tradegovuk and @ukpavilion2020