Government urged to commit to removing flammable cladding

Following a fire in student accommodation in Bolton on Friday 15 November, the leaders of four unions have written to the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to reiterate their deep concerns about the ‘shameful’ record of this Government on fire safety.

The union leaders call on Williamson to set a deadline of 18 months in which all school buildings must be made safe. They ask that they prohibit the use of flammable cladding on any educational building and commit to removing all flammable cladding from all educational buildings of whatever height.

The letter also calls on the government to make the fitting of sprinkler systems mandatory for all new educational buildings and retrofit sprinklers in all existing educational buildings.

The letter also asks for a review of all existing educational buildings to ensure they meet necessary fire safety standards, and to review standards in the private, purpose-build student accommodation sector to ensure these are robust enough.

The letter is signed by leaders of the Fire Brigades Union, the National Education Union, National Union of Students, and the University and College Union.