The government has announced that the seven organisations named in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report will have their debarment investigations paused to “prevent any impact on criminal investigations”
In a statement released on 10 July 2025, the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) explained that they had been informed by the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that continuing the debarment investigations could “unintentionally prejudice the criminal investigation and any future criminal proceedings”:
The debarment investigation was announced under the new powers of the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force in February 2025. It allows the government to investigate suppliers and add them to a published debarment list if certain grounds are met.
“To ensure the Metropolitan Police’s criminal investigation and any future proceedings remain the priority, the Cabinet Office has paused its separate, non-criminal debarment investigations at the request of the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police. This decision has been made to safeguard the integrity of the Metropolitan Police’s criminal investigation,” the statement read.
The government added that its decision to pause its own probe was intended to “safeguard the integrity” of the criminal investigation, adding that it “fully supports” the Met Police while it carries out its probe.
“The Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report laid bare an appalling catalogue of failures leading up to the fire, and the Prime Minister has made clear that there must be full accountability – including through the criminal justice process.”
Launched following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the Met Police’s criminal investigation sees a dedicated team of 180 officers and staff “working to identify any offences and those responsible”. As previously reported by the FPA, a lack of funding has led to a delay in proceedings, with “charging decisions” moving “from late 2026 into 2027”.
As reported by BBC News, campaign groups shared their disappointment at the government’s decision, with Grenfell United stating: "The government's decision to pause the debarment of the seven companies responsible for Grenfell is a disgrace and an insult to the bereaved and survivors.
"Whilst we will always put the criminal investigation first, it is abhorrent to hear — yet again — that the government failed to do its basic due diligence.
"Whether through incompetence or outright indifference, this latest U-turn is yet another glaring example of a government that abandons its duty and shamelessly betrays those it vowed to protect."
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime and counter terrorism division, said: "We remain resolute in ensuring the integrity of any possible future prosecutions and continue to liaise closely with the Metropolitan Police Service as their investigation works towards an evidential file being passed to us."