Construction Products Reform Green Paper
This green paper is a consultation on proposals for institutional and regulatory reform of the construction products regime.
The tragedy at Grenfell Tower and the two subsequent independent reviews, conducted by Dame Judith Hackitt and Paul Morrell and Anneliese Day, exposed significant failures in the construction products regulatory system, revealing institutional failures that allowed profit to come before safety.
Despite the significant reforms initiated in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the government is clear that critical gaps persist in the construction products regulatory framework. This government is proposing a series of ambitious and far-reaching reforms aimed at enhancing safety, ensuring accountability, and fostering innovation and growth and therefore confidence across the construction sector.
The green paper supports the government response to the Grenfell Inquiry. It sets out a range of proposals for construction products reform, including proposals that address the Inquiry‘s recommendations. The green paper also serves as the government’s response to the Independent Review of Product Testing and Certification (the Morrell-Day Review) (PDF, 2.1MB).
The green paper lays the foundations for a regulatory framework that will meet the UK’s needs. Trust in UK construction products is vital to support economic growth, infrastructure delivery and our ambition of building 1.5 million new homes over this parliament. Retaining consistency between the UK regulatory framework and the revised European Union requirements, in line with objectives for reform, will contribute to achieving this outcome.
Beyond that, expanding regulatory coverage to include all construction products will address the government’s aim to eliminate unsafe materials from the market, enhancing the overall quality and safety of buildings.
Proposals span the breadth of the regulatory and institutional system. They set out how testing and certification will be strengthened and how the regulators will be equipped with enhanced powers and resources to effectively enforce regulations.
The green paper also makes clear that achieving these necessary changes will require significant, long-term effort from both government and industry to deliver confidence in a system that guarantees safe products, safely used.
Respond to the Construction Product Reform Green Paper consultation.
If you would like a translation of the Executive Summary of the Construction Products Green Paper, email grenfelltowersite@communities.gov.uk