Government 'drops plans to ease fire safety standards in schools'
Government cost-cutting plans to ease fire safety standards in new schools have been dropped, according to The Observer.
It reported there has been a rethink at the Department of Education (DoE) which had started a consultation on new draft guidance last year.
A suggestion that "school buildings do not need to be sprinkler protected to achieve a reasonable standard of safety" is to be stripped out of the revised draft guidance, according to The Observer.
A DoE spokesman said: "There will be no change to the fire safety laws for schools or our determination to protect children's safety.
"It has always been the case, and remains the case, that where the risk assessment required for any new building recommends sprinklers are installed to keep children safe, they must be fitted.
"Alongside the rest of Government, we will take forward any findings from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire. "
