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A former Tory housing minister warned MPs against beefing up fire safety regulations, because it could discourage house building.

Brandon Lewis admitted automatic sprinklers save lives, but said it was not the government's responsibility to encourage developers to fit them.

It was revealed this morning that successive ministers had "sat on" evidence that suggested thousands of tower blocks like London's Grenfell House were vulnerable to fire.

The coroner's report into a 2009 blaze in London recommended building regulations be updated, and called for developers refurbishing high-rise blocks to be encouraged to install sprinkler systems.

But five years later, Mr Lewis told MPs: "We believe that it is the responsibility of the fire industry, rather than the Government, to market fire sprinkler systems effectively and to encourage their wider installation."

He said the Tory government had committed to being the first to reduce regulations nationwide, pledging a one in-two out rule.

He added: "The cost of fitting a fire sprinkler system may affect house building—something we want to encourage—so we must wait to see what impact that regulation has."

(Image: AFP)

Earlier in his comments, made in a 2014 Westminster Hall debate to mark Fire Sprinklers Week, he admitted: "Sprinklers work. We know that. No one can deny it.

"The myths around sprinklers have been well explained and debunked here today.

"They are an effective way of controlling fires and of protecting lives and property."

Theresa May's new chief of staff Gavin Barwell was the latest of a string of Tory ministers to pledge a review of building regulations, after a damning report into the fire at Lakanal House in London in 2009, which claimed six lives.

London Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick this morning said the Lakanal House should have been a "wake up call."

He said: “Four years later, we’re still trying to get the government to undertake that review.”

He said successive ministers had said they were “looking at it”, adding the delay had been worsened by responsibility for building regulations being split between three ministers.

He added: “You’d have to ask them why they’ve sat on it for four years.”

In response to this morning's devastating fire in West London, he said: "A review took place after the fire in Camberwell and the government has that review.

"I believe we need to ask questions about what facilities and resources have been given to every local authority that has tower blocks within their area, and frankly most do."

Asked what should happen to government ministers, he said: "Obviously ministers that served and received those reports must be questioned.

"But today every focus and every concentration must be on saving and protecting life."

The Tories ignored two coroner’s reports into fatal high rise fires that called for safety improvements.

The inquiry into the Shirley Towers fire, that led to the death of two firefighters, the coroner wrote to the then Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to press for sprinklers to be fitted in all high rise properties.

(Image: Roland Leon / Daily Mirror)

The same call was made by the coroner Frances Kirkham into the 2009 Lakanal House fire in Southwark, London, which killed six people

Ms Kirkham wrote a Rule 43 letter to Mr Pickles in 2013 setting out a series of recommendations.

Rule 43 letters are only sent when the coroner believes there is a risk other deaths will occur unless action is taken.

Ms Kirkham told Mr Pickles the Department for Local Government should encourage developers refurbishing high rise residential properties to retro-fit sprinklers.

The coroner also said building regulations should be updated to take into account the cladding of buildings and she called for updated advice on whether residents caught in a fire should stay put or try to escape.

In addition the coroner said landlords should keep up to date information on who was living in the building and design plans to help firefighters in “information boxes” by the property.

Mr Pickles rejected the call for the retro fitting of sprinklers. He also dismissed calls for landlords to provide more information to aid firefighters.

“We have considered your recommendation that those responsible for residential high rise buildings be required to provide relevant information for operational purposes in premises information boxes.

“However, on balance we consider that a regulatory requirement is unnecessary and disproportionate,” he wrote in a letter to Ms Kirkham.

An investigation by the magazine Inside Housing found that since the 2009 Lakanal House disaster only 18 of the 2,925 council owned high rises have fitted sprinklers in some of the flats.