Category: 0 Reviewed

A consultation on banning the use of combustible materials on the external walls of high-rise residential buildings which are 18 metres or over has been published today (18 June 2018).

This was announced in Parliament by the Housing Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP.

The cladding believed to have been used on Grenfell Tower was unlawful under existing building regulations and should not have been used. The government wants to ensure that there is no doubt about which materials can be used on high-rise residential buildings.

This consultation is inviting views on our proposals to revise the building regulations to ban the use of combustible materials in the inner leaf, insulation and cladding that are used in external wall systems on these buildings.

Residents, industry and other interested parties will now be able to have their say on proposals affecting the safety of homes. The government is legally required to consult on substantive changes to the buildings regulations before any change in the law and this consultation will end on 14 August 2018.

The Secretary of State for Housing, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, said:

The Grenfell Tower fire was an appalling tragedy and we must do everything we can to ensure a disaster like this never happens again.

I have listened carefully to concerns and I intend to ban the use of combustible materials on the external walls of high-rise residential buildings, subject to consultation.

The cladding believed to have been used on Grenfell Tower was unlawful under existing building regulations. It should not have been used. But I believe that the changes on which we are consulting will offer even greater certainty to concerned residents and to the construction industry.

Following her comprehensive review of fire safety and building regulations, Dame Judith Hackitt recommended that a simpler but more robust approach to the construction and on-going management of high-rise residential buildings was needed.

The government welcomed Dame Judith’s report and went even further than her recommendations, committing to:

• 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 we are reviewing responses
• change the law to achieve meaningful and lasting reform of the regulatory system, with strong sanctions for those who fail to comply
• invite views on how the government could implement major reform of the regulatory system in line with Dame Judith’s review
• clarify building regulations fire safety guidance (Approved Document B)

Further information

See details of the consultation.

The Independent Expert Advisory Panel has issued advice to building owners on how to ensure that their buildings comply with the existing building regulations. This advice still stands. The clearest ways of ensuring that an external wall system adequately resists external fire spread are either for all of the relevant elements of the wall to be in the top 2 European classes for fire performance (Class A1 or Class A2); or to use an external wall system which can be shown to have passed a large-scale test conducted to the BS8414 standard. In all instances, building owners are advised to seek professional advice by a competent and qualified person on what further steps to take with respect to their external wall system, based on the specific circumstances of their building including the external wall system design and condition, to satisfy themselves that their building is safe.

The government is consulting on proposals to ban combustible materials for residential buildings 18 metres or over, and whether only materials in those top 2 European classes for fire performance – reflective of the approach taken in Scotland – should be allowed over the entire external wall system – from the internal face of the wall through to its external face – with limited exemptions covering parts of the wall (such as paint) that do not present a significant contribution to the risk of fire spread.

There is a statutory requirement to consult under the Building Act 1984. This consultation complies with the duty on the Secretary of State to consult the Building Regulations Advisory Committee and other representative interests on proposed changes to the substantive requirements in the building regulations.

The deadline for consultation responses is 14 August 2018. Once closed, the department will consider all the comments received and provide a response as soon as possible.

In her final report Dame Judith Hackitt stated that using products which are non combustible or of limited combustibility is undoubtedly the lower risk option than undergoing a full system test.

The time has come to promote Wales’ pioneering prowess in compound semiconductor technology on a global scale. That will be the message from the UK Government today as the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales gather leaders from Wales’ own ‘Silicon Valley’ for progress talks in Newport (18 June).

Compound semiconductors are at the heart of the high-tech devices we use today. From smartphones to tablets to satellite communications to GPS, the technology will continue to impact the way we live, work and spend our leisure time.

Wales already has a wealth of advanced semiconductor expertise in the form of IQE, SPTS Technologies, Newport Wafer Fab and Microsemi, who, along with academic partners and the UK Government’s £50million compound semiconductor applications Catapult, form the world’s first Compound Semiconductor cluster, CS-Connected.

The UK Government will host the meeting at Newport Wafer Fab – the UK’s largest semiconductor centre and the chip Foundry of the CS Cluster – where the industry experts in Wales will be challenged to explore and to capitalise on international opportunities for the sector. Officials will also seek to find out how the UK Government can work with the cluster to market Wales’ expertise in the technology around the globe.

The meeting will be attended by HM Trade Commissioner for China, Richard Burn who is visiting Wales to see first-hand the nation’s growing expertise in the sector following his meeting with Secretary of State at the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong. As the UK prepares for future trade agreements with countries around the world, the Department of International Trade has appointed Trade Commissioners for nine geographical areas around the world to champion British trade with some of the UK’s biggest economic partners.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

If we want Wales to be at the vanguard of the high-tech revolution, we need to up our stakes – and our vision must be global. That is why I’m delighted that the HM Trade Commissioner for China will attend today’s meeting in Newport.

During our meeting at the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong earlier this year, I had the opportunity to showcase how Wales’ reputation for innovation excellence can put the UK on a firm trading footing for a post Brexit future.

But the challenge now is to seize those opportunities and to capitalise on the skills right here in south Wales that sets us apart. The UK Government wants to hear strong ideas today on how we develop this cluster and how we market the expertise we have in abundance on a global stage.

Dr Drew Nelson, President and CEO, IQE plc commented:

Compound Semiconductor technologies are fast becoming a critical part of the entire global semiconductor industry (worth over USD400 billion pa), enabling faster, more power efficient and higher functionality chips to be made, and which also harness the incredible properties of light. The UK has always had a strong position in early stage development of CS technologies, but over recent years we have been building the World’s first Compound Semiconductor Cluster (CS-Connected) to fully exploit the commercial potential for the UK.

The CS Connected companies are therefore delighted that the UK Government has recognised the importance of the sector, not only for the future of the UKs new Industrial Strategy, but on a global basis across almost all major industrial, consumer , healthcare and communications industries. The Government’s involvement in helping promote the World’s first CS Cluster on an International basis is greatly welcomed , demonstrating the major benefits of Industry and Government working hand in hand. The full strategic support of the UK , Welsh and Local Governments, will be a critical enabler for the expansion of the cluster.

We are developing breakthrough IP in technologies which will form the foundation of the fourth industrial revolution .Working as a unique collective we firmly believe we can create many thousands of high tech jobs in Wales and throughout the United Kingdom, driving up GVA significantly , and enabling many of our industrial partner companies to introduce innovative products based on Compound Semiconductors to the global marketplace , thereby accelerating the UK’s international competitiveness.

Alun Cairns added:

To realise our global ambitions for the compound semiconductor sector, Government and businesses need to work hand in hand. That is what our Modern Industrial Strategy is all about.

The UK Government will continue to lay the foundations and develop the international relationships – opening doors and taking down barriers.

But it is ultimately our enterprising businesspeople like those around the table today who will make the most of those new opportunities.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About HM Trade Commissioners

All of the new HMTCs will cooperate closely with HM Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the wider diplomatic network, and other HM Government colleagues based in countries in their region, in a joined-up and coordinated government effort overseas to promote UK trade and prosperity.

In total, there will be 9 geographical areas that the HM Trade Commissioners will cover:

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East
• North America
• South Asia

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP today (Friday 15 June) launches a new drive to attract investment into the UK’s booming financial technology (FinTech) sector. Dr Fox’s Department for International Trade (DIT) will prioritise investment into FinTech, set up a UK FinTech steering board and connect companies with global investors.

The new drive comes during London Tech Week. It follows the Prime Minister’s announcement on Wednesday (13 June) that more than 1,600 new jobs will be created and £2.3 billion of private investment into the broader technology sector has been secured, showcasing the UK as the best country in the world to run a tech company.

Launching the new FinTech investment drive, International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:

The UK is a world leader in the FinTech sector, thanks to our highly-skilled and creative workforce, fair regulatory system and ease of doing business.

The sector has already attracted £1.8 billion worth of investment in 2017 – a 153% increase on the previous year and as an international economic department, DIT is putting technology and innovation at the heart of the UK’s global growth.

Financial services and technology are 2 of the UK’s leading industries, with FinTech playing an increasingly important role in tasks ranging from complex financial transactions to helping consumers give money to charity more easily.

DIT’s FinTech steering board brings together academics, industry experts, government and regulators to drive investment into the sector, which is at the forefront of the UK’s global technology and innovation proposition.

It will be chaired by the City of London’s Lord Mayor, Charles Bowman, and firms including Zopa, Neyber, EY, Innovate Finance and Santander will sit alongside government, regulators and academics from MIT and Oxford University.

Charles Bowman, Lord Mayor of the City of London and chair of DIT’s FinTech board, added:

FinTech is something that I am hugely passionate about, with the UK home to around 1,600 FinTech companies, and more than 50,000 related jobs in the Square Mile alone.

I look forward to exploring how we can further develop our world-leading FinTech offer and to helping shape the UK’s future FinTech trade and investment strategy.

The FinTech steering board

The board comprises of the following members:

• Omar Ali: UK Financial Services Leader, EY
• Giles Andrews: Co-founder and Chairman, Zopa
• David Bartlett: Head of Financial and Professional Services Team, DIT
• Charlotte Crosswell: CEO, Innovate Finance
• Anna Wallace: Innovate Head of Department, FCA
• Stephen Ingledew: Chief Executive, FinTech Scotland
• Monica Kalia: Founder, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Neyber
• Alastair Lukies: Founding Partner, Motive Partners
• Dan Morgan: FinTech Sector Specialist, DIT
• Sigridur Sigurdardottir: Chief Customer and Innovation Officer, Santander
• David L. Shrier: Associate Fellow, MIT and Oxford
• Paul Stoddart: CEO Vocalink
• Phil Vidler: Head of Global Markets, HM Treasury
• Tomas Helm: FinTech Lead, DIT

The board will convene 4 times a year with the first meeting taking place during London Tech Week, a celebration of innovation that brings together a global gathering of thought leaders, entrepreneurs and tech champions.

For more information

Contact the DIT Media Team on 020 7215 2000

Follow us: @tradegovuk, gov.uk/dit

• more smaller energy suppliers will be required to give vulnerable customers, including pensioners, £140 off their winter bills
• energy suppliers with 150,000 customer accounts or more will be obliged to offer the Warm Home Discount
• having more energy suppliers in the £340 million scheme will increase consumer choice and improve switching for vulnerable customers as part of government plans to eradicate fuel poverty

Plans to ensure more of the smaller energy suppliers are obliged to help vulnerable customers under one of the government’s flagship schemes to tackle fuel poverty, were outlined today (Friday 15 June) by the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth Claire Perry, following a consultation.

In a move to bring greater fairness to energy prices, lowering the threshold for suppliers to participate in the scheme will mean that 97% of the consumer energy market will be covered. Low income and vulnerable households who get their energy from smaller suppliers will become eligible for the Warm Home Discount, making bills more affordable for around 20,000 more pensioners in 2019/20, and an additional 10,000 pensioners in 2020/21, if the eligibility criteria were to continue in its current form. Extending the eligibility also makes it easier for customers to compare like for like when considering switching.

A stepped approach of lowering the criteria from 250,000 down to 150,000 customer accounts between 2019 and 2021 will ensure that smaller suppliers have enough time to put the right processes in place to take part in the scheme, and reflects the increasing maturity of challengers in the energy retail market.

To reflect this trend, the threshold will be reviewed after 2021 where it could continue to fall, potentially to zero or a small minimum, delivering a level playing field for energy suppliers.

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry said:

Tackling fuel poverty is a key priority for this government. Everyone who is automatically eligible for the £140 discount on their energy bills each winter should be able to get it. It shouldn’t be dependent on which energy supplier they are with, so we want change that.

This is why, as part of our commitment to create an energy market that works for everyone, we are lowering the threshold so more smaller suppliers will be able to offer this lifeline discount to their customers who most need it.

Clean and affordable energy is a central aim of our modern Industrial Strategy, building a Britain fit for the future, creating better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK.

The Warm Home Discount provides £140 off winter fuel bills each year. It helps around 2.2 million customers who struggle to meet their energy costs during the coldest months.

Some vulnerable customers are provided with this rebate automatically through data matching. The government intends to further consult on this scheme so that with better data matching, all eligible low-income households are identified to automatically get the discount, rather than having to apply to their suppliers to get it.

Reforming and extending policies on fuel poverty are a key part of the government’s commitment to protect low income vulnerable consumers. As outlined in the Industrial Strategy, this includes a recent consultation on changes to the government’s energy efficiency scheme to ensure that nearly a million more low-income households are set to benefit from innovative energy saving measures.

A Bill is also currently progressing through Parliament to cap poor value standard variable and default tariffs for 11 million households. This temporary cap will protect consumers, including vulnerable consumers, until effective competition and an energy market that works for everyone is in place.

Ofgem also extended its Safeguard Tariff Cap on pre-payment meter tariffs to protect a further 1 million vulnerable households, bringing the total protected to 5 million households this winter.

Notes to editors

1. The Warm Home Discount scheme was launched in April 2011 and has provided assistance with energy costs to over 2 million low income and vulnerable households in Great Britain each year. Since its launch, the scheme has provided over £2 billion of direct assistance to low income and fuel poor households.
2. The government response to the Warm Home Discount consultation states that the threshold for energy suppliers’ participation in the scheme will remain at 250,000 customer accounts this winter. This will be lowered in future years to 200,000 customer accounts in 2019/20 and 150,000 customer accounts in 2020/21. The threshold will be reduced in a phased way to allow smaller suppliers time to prepare while setting a clear signal to the energy retail market.
3. As the spending envelope for the scheme is fixed, lowering the threshold will not mean more low income and vulnerable customers benefitting from the rebate overall, but more suppliers will be obliged to make it available and costs will be spread across more customers.
4. Only the threshold for the core group of the Warm Home Discount scheme will be reduced. This involves automatic rebates through data matching. If the scheme is reformed in 2019/20 to be fully based on consumers automatically getting the entitlement, this reduce in threshold would still apply.
5. Under the current scheme 94% of the market is covered, the move to reduce the threshold will bring this up to 97% (this is based on current numbers and may change in 2019 as the market develops).
6. Other suppliers below the threshold will be able to volunteer under the scheme. There are currently 3 voluntary smaller suppliers.

Appearing at Sunderland Magistrates on 11 June, Marc Philip Farnsworth, owner of M Farnsworth, in Bede Precinct, Jarrow, was found guilty of displaying and offering for sale fresh fruit below the minimum standards permitted.

The court fined Mr Farnsworth £1,000 and ordered him to pay full investigation costs of £2,826, prosecution costs of £620, and a £100 Victims Surcharge – making a total penalty awarded of £4,546.

The case was brought following an investigation by the Rural Payments Agency’s (RPA) Horticultural Marketing Inspectors (HMI). The inspectors are responsible for the enforcement of the EU marketing standards for fresh fruit, vegetables, salad crops, nuts and cultivated mushroom, throughout England and Wales, wherever fresh produce is grown, imported, exported, bought or sold. These standards will continue to be enforced after we have left the European Union.

Several visits were made to the Jarrow store, during which inspectors found it was selling apples that were severely bruised– making them unfit for human consumption. Rotten figs and bruised and rotten peaches were also for sale.

Mark Buckle, regional manager for HMI, said:

On visiting the store our inspectors found apples that were so badly bruised they should not be eaten – let alone placed for sale. Repeated attempts were made to engage the store’s owner in addressing the issues, but he failed to take action and it was necessary to progress this through the courts.

We will do all we can to ensure unsatisfactory produce is kept off the market. The fine received here should serve as a warning to others that if they are not labelling products correctly, or selling fruit and veg that is of an unacceptable quality then action will be taken against them.