黑洞社区

Successive governments over the past three decades have engaged in a 鈥減rolonged period of concealment鈥� of the fire safety risks of dangerous cladding, the Grenfell Inquiry has heard.

Stephanie Barwise QC, lawyer for the bereaved and survivors of the 2017 blaze, said it was one of the 鈥渕ajor scandals of our time鈥�.

She added that three reports into cladding fires in the 1990s had been 鈥渃overed up鈥�, and an investigation into the 2009 Lakanal House fire had been shut down by officials in a 鈥済rotesque abdication of responsibility鈥�.

The results of a series of tests carried out around 2002 on new cladding systems, most of which failed, were also kept confidential, suggesting that officials knew about the risks of combustible cladding 13 years before the West London fire which claimed 72 lives.

The revelations came on the second day of the sixth module of the inquiry, which will look into decisions made by past governments that may have enabled the fire.

Monday鈥檚 hearing was told that the coalition government under David Cameron had wanted to reduce the 鈥渂urden of red tape鈥� on housebuilders so that more homes could be built.

Barwise said that an 鈥渦nbridled passion for deregulation鈥� had resulted in the government allowing itself to become the 鈥渏unior partner鈥� to the construction industry.

Ministers鈥� 鈥渄ependency鈥� on construction led to it 鈥減ermitting industry鈥檚 exploitation of the regulations鈥�, she said, adding that it allowed the industry to 鈥渨rite its own rules鈥�.

But Barwise said that the government鈥檚 response on realising the extent of the issues with cladding was to 鈥渞eact by concealment instead of candour鈥�.

She argued that awareness of the dangers associated with cladding go back to at least 1991, when a report into a fire at Knowsley Heights in Merseyside had been marked as 鈥渓imited circulation鈥�.

Another report produced by the 黑洞社区 Research Establishment (BRE) in 1994 which revealed the ineffectiveness of cavity barriers was not made public, and a report into the 1999 Garnock Court fire in Scotland was 鈥渆ntirely neutered鈥�.

Barwise said: 鈥淭he consistent pattern of inadequate investigation and suppression of reports鈥� goes beyond mere accident, and involves government collusion鈥�.

Tests carried out by the BRE in the early 2000s under the New Labour government on the same ACM cladding that was used on Grenfell Tower failed in under six minutes, but the results were not published.

Barwise said it was likely that the results did not lead to a ban on the cladding or on stricter regulations because of 鈥渋ndustry interference鈥�.

The inquiry also heard yesterday that Kingspan 鈥渨as not shy in broadcasting industry鈥檚 hold over government鈥�. It heard that Kingspan had said in 2003 that the government would not introduce tougher European fire standards 鈥渦ntil the industry is ready to adopt it鈥�.

The firm manufactured the K15 insulation panels which were used on parts of the tower but not specified. Insulation was found to have 鈥渕ore likely than not鈥� contributed to the spread of flames.

Government ministers and senior officials are due to give evidence to the inquiry over the next five months.

Today, the inquiry will hear from the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC), as well as the National House 黑洞社区 Council and the BRE.

In response to yesterday鈥檚 evidence the DLUHC told the BBC: 鈥淭he Grenfell Tower tragedy must never be allowed to happen again, and we remain absolutely committed to helping the Inquiry get to the truth.

鈥淭he role of central government will be considered in this module and we continue to support the Inquiry throughout its investigations.

鈥淚t would be inappropriate for us to comment further while the inquiry is ongoing.鈥�

The inquiry continues.