Former minister denies deregulation was prioritised over life safety before Grenfell fire

By Tom Lowe2022-04-01T10:33:00

Source: PA Images

James Wharton tells inquiry he thought regulations had been “fit for purpose and working well”

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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