Grenfell Tower fire: Safety instructions issued to local authorities for 'immediate' action

Local authorities have been issued with a list of instructions which must be actioned "immediately" following the Grenfell Tower fire.

At least 79 people are dead, or missing, presumed dead, following the blaze in west London.

As homes across the country are checked for combustible cladding, the Permanent Secretary at the Communities Department, Melanie Dawes, has written to chief executives of local authorities and housing associations, detailing the procedure they should follow.

In her letter, Ms Dawes sets out the actions that must be taken if insulation within cladding "is unlikely to be compliant with the requirements" of current building regulations.

"These interim mitigating measures must immediately be implemented to ensure the safety of residents, pending replacement of the cladding," she said.

The measures include: