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Former minister denies deregulation was ‘principal objective’ of building regulations review before Grenfell fire

By 2022-04-01T10:34:00

James Wharton 1

James Wharton could not explain to inquiry why a presentation on the review appeared to prioritise cutting red tape over life safety

A former minister responsible for building regulations has denied that the housing department prioritised deregulation over life safety in the years leading up to the Grenfell Tower fire.

James Wharton told Thursday’s hearing of the inquiry into the 2017 blaze which claimed 72 lives that his “understanding was that the system was fit for purpose and the building regulations were working well”.

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