It’s unacceptable that four weeks after Grenfell we don’t know how many blocks are unsafe, says Healey ahead of debate

A month after the Grenfell fire, the government has yet to confirm how many other tower blocks across the country are safe, shadow housing minister John Healey said today.

There is a debate on the Grenfell tower inquiry later today in parliament, after prime minister’s questions. Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn will be using their usual deputies, David Lidington and Emily Thornberry, as May is meeting the Spanish king.

“The government has been off the pace at every stage in response to this terrible fire. Too slow to grasp the complexity of the help survivors need and too slow to reassure residents in 4,000 other tower blocks across the country,” Healey continued.

“Ministers have failed to take responsibility for getting blocks fully tested, or for funding the remedial work needed when buildings fail these tests.

“The result is a government testing programme which is too slow, too narrow and too unclear. The fire-testing process is in chaos as councils and housing associations don’t know what’s going on and residents are still fearful their homes are unsafe.

“Four weeks on, ministers must now act to widen the testing programme and reassure all high-rise residents that their homes are either safe, or that the government will fund the urgent work to make them so.”