Michael Gove said the government was partly responsible for the Grenfell Tower tragedy because of “wrong and vague” government guidance.
The Minister for Housing added that the directive allowed “unscrupulous people to exploit a broken system in a way that led to tragedy”.
He admitted this in an interview with The Sunday Times where he set a deadline for unsecured blocks.
The fire in the residential tower In North Kensington, west London, in June 2017 it killed 72 people and sparked a public inquiry.
The inquiry, headed by Sir Martin More Beck, has not yet submitted its final report,
Evidence from the investigation showed that official directives were widely seen to allow highly flammable cladding on tall buildings.
Asked if the accepted grammar was wrong, Mr Gove replied: “Yes.
“There was a faulty regulation system. The government didn’t think enough, or police effectively enough, the whole safety building system. No question.”
“I think (the directive) was so wrong and vague that it allowed unscrupulous people to exploit a broken system in a way that led to tragedy,” Gove added.
It comes after the final inquiry hearing in November heard that the companies appeared to have used the investigation to “prepare themselves for any legal action” that might follow, rather than show remorse.
Michael Gove admitted the guidance was ‘wrong and vague’
In conclusion, lead attorney Richard Millett K.
On Monday, the Minister for Housing will announce a six-week deadline for developers to sign a government contract to fix their unsafe towers — or take them off the market.
“Those who do not (sign) will face consequences. They will not be able to build new homes,” Gove added.
The minister will use the so-called “responsible actor scheme”, which will be set up in the spring, to prevent such companies from obtaining planning or building control approval.
Sky News has learned that major companies including Barratt Developments and Persimmon are preparing for the imminent signing of a legally binding contract with the government that could eventually be It costs the industry £5 billion or more.
One of the executives said they expect the final contract to be signed and unveiled as soon as next week, though they cautioned that time remains volatile.
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Grenfell: “We will fight to the end”
last year, Dozens of developers have signed a pledge To overhaul buildings built since the early 1990s, with revisions to the deal with the government in recent weeks focusing on the companies’ exposure.
The Grenfell inquest heard that many of the companies involved in the tragedy failed to accept blame for their role in the events leading up to the disaster, demonstrating what Mr Millett described as a “lack of respect” for the victims and their families.
The investigation also heard from Jason Beer KC, of the Division of Settlement, Housing and Communities, who said the department “apologies unreservedly” for its failure to identify weaknesses in the regulatory system.
He said that “the department is aware that it has failed to appreciate its important role in overseeing the system, and as a result has failed to take opportunities to assess whether the system is functioning as intended.”
“For the department’s failure to realize that the regulatory system has malfunctioned and that it could lead to a disaster like this one, the department truly regrets and apologizes unreservedly.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, the chair of the inquiry, Sir Martin, said the committee had already begun work on its final report and promised to release it “as soon as possible”.