AQW 2849/22-27

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 06/09/2022
Answered On Date: 14/09/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether his Department plans to change the Northern Ireland planning system to mitigate fire risk in the context of the Grenfell disaster.

Answer:

A Building Safety Expert Panel, led by Department of Finance, is progressing work to ensure that citizens here are afforded the same level of fire safety in all high rise residential buildings, as in the other devolved administrations of the UK. My officials are fully involved in the considerations of the Expert Panel, including the implications for the planning process and other key regulatory regimes, such as building regulation.

I am determined that the planning system will play its part in this important work and this will become clearer as the Panel progress and finalise their work.