Grenfell Tower fire: 181 cladding samples have failed fire safety tests after fatal tragedy

Sajid Javid announced new figure in Parliament

The figure represents a 100 per cent failure rate in the fire safety tests so far (PA)

A total of 181 cladding samples on high-rise towers across England have failed fire safety tests, Sajid Javid has announced.

The Communities Secretary revealed the updated number in Parliament and it is expected to rise as more buildings are tested.

“So far all 181 samples of cladding tested have failed – the priority now is to make those buildings safe,” he said.

He added: “Our primary concern has been buildings over 18 metres, or six storeys, where people stay at night.”

The current number has risen from 60 samples in several weeks. As the number rose, Theresa May ordered a “major national review” of buildings’ safety standards.

BRE Group is still testing buildings owned by councils, housing associations and private landlords.

Mr Javid said experts had concluded the testing process was “sound”.

His words come three weeks after a fire ripped through a 60-metre high-rise in Kensington, killing at least 80 people.

The death toll may not be fully updated for months and emergency services said some victims would never be identified.

Mr Javid said that every family that has come forward for temporary accommodation will be offered a place to stay by Wednesday.

He said only about eight families have accepted offers, with others saying they wanted to wait for something more suitable.

“We will not compel anyone to accept an offer of temporary accommodation they do not want,” he said.

Mr Javid claimed that some families wanted to be housed in the borough, but when they “looked at the property”, they decided they wanted to live further away “to deal with their grief”.

He added that some people wanted to wait in a hotel until an offer of permanent accommodation was available.

A total of 112 households from Grenfell Tower have received financial support of £5,500 to cover immediate costs, and this offer was available for all affected households.

A Government inquiry is being led by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who has more than 20 years’ experience as a judge.

He said he would be “very disappointed” if the inquiry did not publish a preliminary report that answered the “basic factual questions” about the fire within 12 months.

Mr Moore-Bick has been described as a “white, upper-class man” by Labour MP David Lammy.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t find a woman to lead the inquiry or indeed an ethnic minority to lead the inquiry in 2017,” he said.

“He needs to get close to those victims and survivors very quickly and establish that he is after the truth, and that he is fearless and independent.”