§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Newham, South of 23 October 1984, Official Report, columns 553–54, from the Minister for Housing and Construction, he will make a further statement concerning the progress made by the Building Research Establishment into Ronan Point and other Taylor-Woodrow-Anglia blocks.
§ Mr. GowThe Building Research Establishment has examined reports prepared for the London borough of Newham by the Building Design partnership and Thomas Akroyd and for the Newham Tower Blocks Tenants' Association by Mr. Sam Webb. It has also made its own assessment of the structural behaviour of Ronan Point under the loads, both normal and abnormal, to which the building might be subjected. The BRE's report of its assessment will be published as soon as possible.
The BRE concludes that, although Ronan Point has since 1968 carried all the loads, including high wind loads, to which it has been subjected and that these loads have approached the maximum which it might be expected to encounter, without showing any signs of distress, the ends of the H2 joints in the flank walls of the lower storeys of the building do not provide that wide margin of safety which is generally considered acceptable for buildings of this type.
The BRE has considered the likely performance of Ronan Point under abnormal loads such as could be caused by an explosion or fire. Though explosion in any building may cause serious damage, the BRE concludes that, in view of the measures taken already to strengthen the building, the risk that an explosion could cause progressive collapse of Ronan Point, such as occurred in 1968, is remote, provided steps are taken to prevent the use of liquefied petroleum gas for heating. The BRE concludes that it is extremely unlikely that such collapse could be caused by fire.
410WThe BRE considers that the gaps which occur at junctions between cladding panels and floor slabs are unacceptable, since they could allow the spread of fire and fumes between adjacent fiats.
The BRE concludes that certain remedial works are necessary at Ronan Point.
The conclusions drawn from the assessment of Ronan Point are likely to apply in some degree to other Taylor Woodrow Anglian buildings, depending on the details of the construction in each case. Proper standards of safety should apply in all these buildings. In particular, all Taylor Woodrow Anglian buildings of 14 or more storeys in height in which H2 joints are of the same design as those in Ronan Point should be appraised to establish whether these joints provide adequate margins of safety.
All Taylor Woodrow Anglian buildings should be appraised to establish whether the joints between panels can resist the spread of fire and fumes adequately.
The BRE is ready to discuss with authorities methods of inspection and appraisal and the extent to which their conclusions apply to particular Taylor Woodrow Anglian buildings.
The Department is writing today to those authorities which own Taylor Woodrow Anglian buildings to inform them of the action which we consider necessary. Copies of the Department's letter are being placed in the Library.