With the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report in September 2024, the responsibility now lies with governments across the UK to act on its 58 recommendations.

You can refresh yourself of the 10 key takeaways from the UK Government’s response to the Phase 2 Report here. 

In this article however, we discuss the Scottish Government’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report published in March 2025 and its Cladding Remediation Plan of Action. 

Legislative and regulatory reform

A core finding of the Grenfell Inquiry was the regulatory gaps that contributed to the systemic failure in building safety oversight. The Scottish Government’s response focuses on shifting from passive oversight to active, risk-based regulation. It says it is committed to introducing new legislation to strengthen the building standards system. Key proposals include:

• New Role of Compliance Plan Manager (CPM): Under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, a Compliance Plan Manager will be introduced to ensure high-risk buildings meet safety standards. This role will be independent, responsible for monitoring compliance. (Here high-risk buildings are proposed as residential buildings of 11 metres upwards including public, community, health and residential care buildings, regardless of storey height. This is wider than higher-risk buildings in England under the Building Safety Act 2022.)
• Stronger Powers for Local Authorities: Local authorities will gain increased powers to stop illegal building work, issue fines and seek criminal prosecution.
• Consultations on New Legal Requirements: These will include mandatory fire risk assessments in multi-occupancy buildings and licensing schemes for principal contractors working on high-risk buildings. The Scottish Government aims to pass new legislation in the next parliamentary session.

Fire safety enhancements

The Scottish Government appears to recognise the need for a comprehensive overhaul of fire safety protocols, particularly in high-rise buildings. A significant review of Section 2 (Fire) in the Building Standards Technical Handbooks will be launched, starting with a call for evidence later this year.
Additionally, it plans to launch a national fire safety campaign in 2025 aimed at residents of high-rise buildings. This will include:

• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for vulnerable residents.
• Fire Safety Strategies developed by qualified fire engineers for high-risk buildings.

The Scottish Government also intends to strengthen fire risk assessor competency and ensure that duty holders employ competent assessors through appropriate legislation.

Construction product testing and certification

In response to concerns over construction materials' safety, the Scottish Government says it supports the creation of a UK-wide Construction Regulator. This body will oversee product testing, fire safety research and eliminate conflicts of interest in the approval process for construction products. Collaborating with UK partners, the Scottish Government will work to develop better fire test methods and more transparent standards to ensure that construction products are safe for use in high-risk buildings.

The UK Government has already issued a Construction Products Reform Green Paper, see our comments here, including how this will bolster one of the few areas of the Building Safety Act 2022 which applies in Scotland: liability and cost contributions in relation to construction products.

Professional competence and oversight

The Scottish Government says it is committed to ensuring that professionals in the construction industry meet the highest standards of competence. It supports the introduction of a licensing scheme for contractors working on high-risk buildings and proposes that building control approval applications be supported by personal undertakings from senior contractors.
To strengthen the system further, the Scottish Government is reviewing the Certification Strategy to improve the certification services in Scotland. This will include an examination of how to increase certification uptake and consider the creation of a Chief Construction Adviser, an independent expert providing strategic policy oversight. Separate minutes from the Scottish Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group noted further work is required around this idea, including an options appraisal and formal public consultation.

Emergency preparedness and resilience

In line with recommendations to strengthen emergency preparedness, the Scottish Government has committed to:

• Enhancing collaboration with local authorities and emergency responders (Category 1 responders).
• Updating training and operational guidance for fire and rescue services.
• Encouraging cross-agency coordination to improve readiness and response to fire incidents.

Cladding remediation

Addressing one of the most pressing issues from the Grenfell tragedy, the Scottish Government has published its Cladding Remediation Plan of Action. This initiative aims to expedite building assessments and remediation processes as the Scottish Government has been criticized for its remediation plan being too slow with there being a need to accelerate efforts - in particular concerns have pointed to the lack of completed remediation projects compared to the number of buildings affected.  From 25 March 2025, owners of residential properties in Scotland can notify the Scottish Government of concerns regarding cladding and apply for funding to assess their properties. This is called the ‘Single Open Call’ initiative.

The Single Open Call initiative allows homeowners in affected buildings—especially those without a responsible developer—to request funding for cladding assessments. Eligible properties must meet specific criteria as set out in the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 properties must be at least 11 metres in height; containing at least one dwelling; feature an external wall cladding system; and construction or development of the property must have taken place between 1 June 1992 and 1 June 2022.

The Single Open Call is available until 30 September, or until the £10 million funding dedicated to assessments of such buildings is fully committed.

By the end of June 2025, the Single Open Call is expected to be extended to cover mitigation and/or remediation works and where a Single Building Assessment finds these are required, the owner will be able to apply for Scottish Government funding which will be considered based on relative urgency and available budget.  

Where a developer has accepted responsibility for assessment and remediation, the Scottish Government says it remains for the developer to take forward and fund that work.  It is expected that local authorities and registered social landlords will remain responsible for taking forward and funding any mitigation and/or remediation work required, however the Scottish Government will consider the potential need for governmental support and from working with the Scottish Housing Regulator it intends to develop and publish criteria for support.

Procurement and ethical practices

The UK Government’s Procurement Act 2023 now enables the investigation and debarment of organisations criticised by the Grenfell Inquiry. In Scotland, public bodies have the power to exclude bidders which have committed acts of professional misconduct from procurement processes. However, such decisions can only be taken by individual public bodies on a case-by-case basis, and only when a company participates in a procurement process.

The Scottish Government says it continues to work with the UK Government to align practices on supplier debarment and ensure that only ethical and responsible organisations are involved in public contracts.

Summing up

The Scottish Government’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report demonstrates a commitment to long-term safety reforms and regulatory overhauls. It has accepted all of the Grenfell Inquiry recommendations as far as they apply in Scotland.

With the commitments summarised above, Scotland is setting a path toward creating a safer and more accountable environment for its residents - especially those in high-risk buildings, alongside the establishment of new roles and regulations.  Much of the detail is awaited however, as the legislation and other measures to put these in place are fleshed out in the months and years to come.  Meantime, it will be welcomed by many that the Scottish Government has acknowledged the need to accelerate efforts and launched such a plan of action to increase the pace and breadth of assessment and remediation activity.  It aims to publish an update on its key actions by the end of June 2025.  

Our building safety group of specialists will be keeping up to date on all developments and are on hand to discuss any of the points raised above and how they affect your organisation. Please get in touch if you’d like to speak with one of the team.

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