Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:09 pm on 2 April 2019.
I too would like to welcome the publication of the road map as an important step forward in building safety in Wales. The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, which I chair, has been looking at the issue of fire safety in high-rise buildings since the awful tragedy of Grenfell Tower in 2017.
As David Melding touched upon, we've looked at many of the issues that are the subject of the road map and, indeed, the express purpose—or one of the purposes—of our report was to inform that road map, as well as inform the general Welsh Government policy and action in relation to these matters. So, I'm very pleased that, from an initial reading of the road map, it does seem to be very much on the same footing as our report conclusions and recommendations.
In particular, the recommendation to replace the fire safety Order is something that the committee has been calling for since 2017, and we did call for new legislation in the current term. I hear what the Minister has said in response to David Melding and Leanne with regard to those matters. The committee was certainly clearly of the view that, if it could be done in this current Assembly term, that would be very beneficial indeed.
And yes, we will, obviously, have the full response to the road map in May, Minister, as you've outlined. Nonetheless, I wonder if there's anything you could say now in relation to a couple of other matters. One is the annual fire-risk assessment for those buildings in scope, which the road map recommends legislation on. Again, this mirrors our recommendation in our report, and I wonder whether you could say anything more about when that legislation will be brought forward, beyond what you've already stated.
And in terms of the capacity in the building control sector, which Members have touched upon and which is obviously very important from that road map and your own comments, we heard that regulatory services within local authorities have often borne the brunt of local authority cuts, which is a matter of real concern. Is there anything else you could say, Minister, in terms of how Welsh Government can best address the recommendations in the road map around those capacity issues and building up competence within that building control sector?
And finally, in relation to the use of sprinklers in high-rise residential buildings and the recommendation you've accepted from the road map, and, indeed, my own committee's report, I wonder—. In terms of the response to our report, Minister, you stated the Government was considering how else you might encourage the retrofitting of sprinklers, and I wonder if at this stage again you're able to say anything more about how you could most effectively take forward those recommendations.