The government has confirmed it expects the removal of unsafe ACM cladding from privately-owned residential tower blocks to be completed by the middle of next year, unless there are “exceptional circumstances” which prevent the work being done by then.

In a series of replies to MPs’ questions, housing minister Esther McVey confirmed the government expected remediation work on such buildings more than 18 metres high to be completed within six months of agreeing a plan, and that this work should take place “by June 2020”.