This morning's #Grenfelll inquiry evidence mostly surrounds emails Ashton replied to in 2014 regarding cavity barriers + insulation. Critically, it's about his failure to make clear combustible insulation wasn't acceptable without a test, and the requirements for cavity barriers

Here is the first of the emails under discussion. Sent drawings of the proposed system, and asked whether cavity barriers were required between floors he wrote:

This was a problem for two reasons. He accepts that he knew combustible insulation wasn't allowed on a high rise without a test. He also knew cavity barriers were required around windows and at the top of the system, not just between floors regardless of the insulation used.

So why didn't he tell the team this? His answer, over and over again, was that he was no longer formally engaged in the project and therefore shouldn't have been expected to give comprehensive advice. Althoug he did say: "I could have worded it better, I concede that."

Second email, he was asked if the insulation's 'Class 0' rating meant cavity barriers were not required, and emailed a product sheet which showed the Celotex insulation proposed (which he knew was plastic, and combustible)

He explained that Class 0 is not the same as non-combustible and some Class 0 products do burn. But critically he didn't say 'therefore you can't use this insulation without a test'. He says he in fact didn't even open the attachement.

Again, his explanation was that he was not offering formal advice at this stage and wasn't getting paid. Why reply at all? In his words: "If you refuse to help people when they ask questions, you might be seen as not very helpful."

Moore-Bick intervened on this point, asking him whether or not he believed there was still an obligation to offer proper professional advice, once he had decided "for commercial reasons" to reply. He accepted there was. You feel this might be indicative of Moore-Bick's view of it

More of these sort of emails to come, so I imagine the day will progress on a similar theme.

In the two minutes to spare between finishing this thread and the evidence resuming, I got to see Joe Denly get bowled. Which will have to do as my morning's break.