Government Consultations

Before changing the law or making substantive changes to policy, the UK Government and the devolved administrations are usually required to first consult publicly on the proposed changes. Since 2000, the Government has had a Code of Practice setting out how consultation exercises are best run and what people can expect when it decides to run a formal consultation exercise.

 

NFCC consultation responses

NFCC’s Strategy and Policy Team prepares responses to government consultations on behalf of UK fire and rescue services, including consultations run by the devolved administrations. We work closely with subject matter experts within NFCC and fire and rescue services to ensure our responses are evidence-based and representative of our members’ views.

 

Consultation response catalogue

2024

April:

• Smarter regulation: proposed changes to legislation for electrically assisted pedal cycles. Seeks views on proposed changes to the regulations on electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs or e-cycles/e-bikes).
• Street works access: electric vehicle chargepoint operators. Consultation on changing legal access for street works carried out by electric vehicle chargepoint operators.
• Changes to various permitted development rights. Consultation on on changes to several existing permitted development rights that allow for householder development, building upwards to create new homes, the demolition of certain buildings and rebuild as homes, electric vehicle charge points and air source heat pumps.
• Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing. Views on a regulatory Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing staff including qualification requirements.

March:

• The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024 draft SI. Draft version of the statutory instrument to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes in England.
• Martyn’s Law: standard tier consultation. Consultation on the requirements imposed on standard tier premises under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.
• Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024: consultation.  Views sought on proposals to ban single use vapes.
• Consultation on reforms to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013.  Views sought on reforms to the WEEE Regulations 2013, which are intended to drive up levels of separately collected WEEE for re-use and recycling.
• Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation. Views on changes to Part 6, Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations for dwellings and non-domestic buildings.
• Awaab’s Law: Consultation on Timescales for Repairs in the Social Rented Sector. A consultation on new requirements under ‘Awaab’s Law’, including timescales for repairs in the social rented sector.

February:

• Second technical consultation on the Building Safety Levy. Views on the design and implementation of the Building Safety Levy.
• Consultation on the Building Safety Levy (Scotland). Views and evidence in relation to the proposal to devolve powers to the Scottish Parliament to create a Building Safety Levy.
• Government resilience: extreme weather inquiry.  Evidence submitted to the Commons Public Accounts Committee on Government resilience to extreme weather.

January:

• Consultation on building standards enforcement and sanctions (Scotland). Consultation on strengthening existing provisions within the Scottish building standard system.
• Call for evidence: Smarter regulation and the regulatory landscape.  Call for evidence on what works and what could be improved across the landscape of UK regulators.
• Consultation on amendments to Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations (Wales). Views on plans to amend the building regulations for Approved Document Part B (Fire Safety) in Wales.

2023

December:

• The Smoke, Heat and Carbon Monoxide Alarms for Private Tenancies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024. Consultation on regulations to specify the type, condition and the number of fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in private rented properties.
• Consultation on creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping. A consultation on the proposed actions the UK Government and devolved administrations will take to tackle smoking and youth vaping.

November:

• Provision of information to tenants: Direction to the Social Housing Regulator on tenants’ rights and complaints. Consultation on directions from the Secretary of State to the Regulator of Social Housing in relation to the provision of information on tenants’ rights and complaints.
• Review of energy efficiency requirements and related areas of Building Regulations (Northern Ireland). Consultation on a review of energy efficiency requirements and related areas of Building Regulations.
• Submission to the House of Lords Built Environment Committee Short Inquiry: Modern Methods of Construction. 

October:

• Smarter Regulation: UK product safety review.  Views on the long-term approach to product safety, and how to ensure that the regulatory framework is fit for the future.
• Smarter Regulation: Fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture. Views on a proposed new approach to the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture and furnishings.
• Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill: consultation on implementation of plan-making reforms. Views on proposals to implement the parts of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which relate to plan-making.

September:

• Consultation on permitted development rights. Consultation on additional flexibilities to support housing delivery, the agricultural sector, businesses, high streets and open prisons
• Consultation on Fire Safety Changes to the Local Building Regulations Northern Ireland. Views on amendments to uplift fire safety protection measures in a range of buildings in Northern Ireland.

June:

• Consultation on the Decent Homes Standard. 
• Competence information for managing building safety on higher-risk buildings. Consultation on the information document that highlights the necessary competency for those managing high-risk buildings, including a summary of the recent British standard, publicly available specification.
• Regulation of the Building Control profession and Building Control bodies in Wales. Consultation on the provisions Wales needs to make in regulations to support changes to the Building Control profession and bodies.
• Building safety competence information for principal contractors and principal designers.
• Technical consultation on the Infrastructure Levy. Joint response of the emergency services.
• Introduction of a use class for short term lets and associated permitted development rights. 
• Consultation on registration scheme for short-term lets in England. 

May:

• Commencement of Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 in Wales. Views on timings for commencing changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order to improve fire safety in business and multi-occupied residential buildings in Wales.
• Consultation on the definition of a higher-risk building in Wales.

April:

• Consultation on permitted development rights: supporting temporary recreational campsites, renewable energy, and film-making. Views on proposed changes to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.
• Alternative cost recovery for remediation works: consultation on proposals to make regulations and statutory guidance under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

March:

• Options to recommend sprinklers in care homes, remove national classifications from Approved Document B, and recommend a maximum height threshold for the use of one staircase in blocks of flats. Consultation on sprinklers in care homes, removal of national classifications from Approved Document B, and recommendation of a maximum height threshold for the use of one staircase in blocks of flats.
• Changes to the building control profession and the building control process for approved inspectors (in future to be known as registered building control approvers). 
• Fire suppression systems in care homes for children. Views on proposals to amend the Building Regulations 2010 to include the requirement for automatic fire suppression systems in children’s homes.

January:

• Consultation: Building Safety Directors. Views on the proposal to appoint a Building Safety Director to the board of directors of Resident Management Companies and Right to Manage Companies as part of their statutory duties under Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022.

2022

October:

• Building Safety Regulator – Operational Standards Rules consultation. Views on the proposed operational standards rules for building control bodies.
• Consultation on the new safety regime for occupied higher-risk buildings. Consultation covering the proposed changes to building regulations under part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
• Consultation on implementing the new building control regime for higher-risk buildings and wider changes to the building regulations for all buildings. Consultation covering the proposed changes to building regulations under part 3 of the Building Safety Act 2022.

August:

• Improving disabled people’s access to let residential premises: reasonable adjustments to common parts, a new duty. Views on proposals to require landlords to make reasonable adjustments to common parts of let properties (such as entrances and hallways) when asked to by a disabled person.
• Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing +. Views on new proposals to support the fire safety of residents who would need support to evacuate in an emergency situation.

July:

• Reforming Our Fire and Rescue Service—White Paper Consultation. Views on proposals to introduce system-wide reform to fire and rescue services in England.

2021

• PAS 8672 -Built Environment – Framework for competence of individual Principal Contractors and Designated Individuals working under Organizational Principal Contractors – Specification (CLOSED)
• Safety Case Principles consultation (CLOSED)
• PAS 8673 – Built environment – Framework for competence of individual Building Safety Managers and nominated individual Building Safety Managers – Specification (September 2021)
• (Revised) Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit consultation (CLOSED)
• Gender Diversity Toolkit consultation (CLOSED)
• Neurodiversity Toolkit consultation (CLOSED)
• Talent Management Toolkit consultation (CLOSED)
• Job Description and Person Specification for the role of a firefighter (CLOSED)
• Fire Investigation Fire Standard (CLOSED)
• Equality of Access to Services and Employment for Emerging Migrant Communities (CLOSED)
• Equality of Access to Services and Employment for people living with dementia (CLOSED)
• EDI Data Toolkit (CLOSED)
• Building Safety Levy, Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (October 26th)
• Coaching and Mentoring National Portal (CLOSED)
• NFCC Direct Entry Scheme consultation (CLOSED)
• NFCC Supervisory Leadership Development Programme consultation (CLOSED)
• Building Bulletin 100: Fire Safety Design in Schools – NFCC Response (August 17th)
• Residential property developer tax: HM Treasury (July 22nd)
• Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) Consultation (July 19th)
• UK Product safety review: Call for evidence NFCC Response (CLOSED: June 17th)
• NFCC Workforce Good Practice Framework and Maturity Models (CLOSED: May 21st)
• Welsh Government Safer Buildings in Wales Consultation – NFCC Response (April 13st)
• MHCLG National Planning Policy Framework and National Model Design Code: Consultation proposals – NFCC Response (March 26th)
• Collecting Equality & Diversity data (CLOSED: May 14th)
• Charter for Social Housing Residents – Social Housing White Paper – NFCC Response (March 21st)
• NFCC Mentoring Agreement (CLOSED: February 22nd)
• NFCC Considerations for a coaching and mentoring scheme (CLOSED: February 22nd)
• MHCLG: Supporting housing delivery and public service infrastructure: NFCC response (February 1st)
• RICS Draft Guidance Note – Valuation of properties in multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding, 1st edition – NFCC Response (January 25th)
• MHCLG Architects Act Consultation NFCC Response (January 22nd)
• MHCLG Domestic Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Consultation – Proposals to Extend Regulations (January 11th)

2020

• MHCLG Raising accessibility standards for new homes – NFCC Response (December 1st)
• Equality of access to services and employment for black people (CLOSED: January 2nd)
• NFCC: Equality of Access to Services and Employment for Neurodiversity (November 30th)
• Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Consultation The Future of the Planning System in England – NFCC Response (October 29th)
• MHCLG Planning for the Future Consultation – NFCC Response (October 29th)
• Draft Scottish Advice Note: Determining the fire risk posed by external wall systems in existing multi-storey residential buildings – NFCC Response (October 24th)
• Fire Investigation Competency Framework – Second edition (informal consultation) (CLOSING DATE: November 30th)
• Fire and Rescue Authorities becoming statutory consultees in the development management process – NFCC Response (October 21st)
• NFCC EDI Project – Equality of Access to services and employment for the LGBT communities (Closing date: November 16th)
• NFCC Leadership project – Coaching and Mentoring Ethical Code (CLOSED: November 16th)
• NFCC Leadership project – Coaching and Mentoring Agreement (CLOSED: November 16th)
• Home Office Fire Safety Order – NFCC Response (October 12th)
• Pre White Paper: Welsh Government Building Safety Position Statement (September 30th)
• Review of operational firefighter apprenticeship standard (CLOSED: August 24th)
• Call for Evidence: Progress in remediating dangerous cladding: Public Accounts Committee (July 2nd)
• BS 8210 Facilities maintenance management: Code of practice – Letter (June 26th)
• BS 8210 Facilities maintenance management: Code of practice – NFCC response (June 26th)
• Interpretation of the apprenticeship funding rules for On-call Firefighters (CLOSED: June 12th)
• Review of fire investigation code of practice (June 8th)
• Review of the ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings: MHCLG (May 22nd)
• Call for Evidence: Cladding: progress on remediation: HCLG Select Committee (May 18th)
• Guide to the Design of Balconies and Terraces, Draft for Public Consultation (March 3rd)
• Fire Safety: Risk Prioritisation in Existing Buildings – A Call for Evidence (February 26th)
• The Future Homes Standard: 2019 Consultation on changes to Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the Building Regulations for new dwellings (February 7th)
• Inclusion strategy consultation (CLOSED: January 10th)
• Succession planning toolkit consultation (CLOSED: January 10th)

2019

• Drafts for Public Consultation for PD 7974-5 Application of fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings. Part 5: Fire and rescue service intervention (Subsystem 5) (December 27th)
• Safety Rules for the construction and installation of lifts – Particular applications for passengers and goods passenger lifts – Part 76: Evacuation of persons with disabilities using lifts Draft for Public Consultation (December 18th)
• Approved Document B: Sprinklers and other fire safety measures in high-rise blocks of flats (November 28th)
• Raising the Bar (Interim Report)- Improving competence, building a safer future The Competence Steering Group (October 31st)
• Electric vehicle charging in residential and non-residential buildings (October 8th)
• Informal consultation on the review of fire investigation code of practice (September 30th)
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Call for Evidence (Home Office, August 1st)
• Building a safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system: MHCLG (August 1st)
• Code of Practice for the design, installation, commissioning & maintenance of evacuation systems for use by FRS in buildings containing flats or maisonettes (July 21st)
• Technical review of Building Bulletin 100: Design for fire safety in schools (May 31st)
• NFCC Apprenticeship strategy (April 26th)
• NFCC Leadership Core Learning Pathway (February 25th – April 5th)
• Approved Document B: Consultation response (March 1st)

2018

• Fire safety: clarification of statutory guidance (Approved Document B) (October 2018)
• Banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise residential buildings: Welsh Government (September 2018)
• Building Standards Compliance and Fire Safety: Making Scotland’s buildings safer for people (September 2018)
• Banning the use of combustible materials in the external walls of high-rise buildings (August 2018)
• Amendments to statutory guidance on assessments in lieu of test in Approved Document B (Fire Safety) (May 2018)
• Electrical Safety in the Private Rented Sector (April 2018)
• Proposed Social Housing (Automatic Fire Suppression Systems) (Scotland) Bill (April 2018)
• Revised draft of Forestry Commission Ops Note 40 (April 2018)
• HMICFRS Inspection Programme and Framework Consultation (March 2018)
• DEFRA: Proposals to tackle crime and poor performance in the waste sector and introduce a new fixed penalty for the waste duty of care (March 2018)
• National Framework for the Fire and Rescue Service in England (February 2018)