Part 2: The Regulator and its functions Staffing etc Section 13: Local authorities and fire and rescue authorities: assistance etc to regulator; Section 14: FSO authorised persons: assistance etc to regulator; and Section 15: Provision of assistance etc: supplementary Effect
Section 13 enables the Building Safety Regulator to call on assistance from local authorities and fire and rescue authorities when regulating higher-risk buildings. It ensures that local authorities and fire and rescue authorities have the legal power to provide assistance requested by the Building Safety Regulator.
	These provisions also extend to the provision of local authority support to the Building Safety Regulator, when the Building Safety Regulator acts as building control authority for a non-higher-risk building (notably in a mixed development including a higher-risk building).
	This section enables the Building Safety Regulator to direct a local authority or fire and rescue authority to provide support requested under that section. This section includes safeguards, which are intended to ensure that direction of these independent bodies (who are subject to democratic local accountability) is not undertaken lightly:
Before making a direction, the Building Safety Regulator must first make a formal, written request to the local authority or fire and rescue authority setting out the reason why the assistance is being requested. The local authority or fire and rescue authority must be given the opportunity to consider whether it can provide the assistance requested, or to give reasons why this is not possible.
If the local authority or fire and rescue authority does not undertake the requested activity, the Building Safety Regulator may direct the relevant authority to do so. The Building Safety Regulator must have considered any reasons provided by the authority for not undertaking the activity, still consider it expedient for the authority to undertake the activity and have secured the consent of the Secretary of State for the direction.
	Section 14 enables the Building Safety Regulator to call on assistance from Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectors, appointed by the Secretary of State under the Fire Safety Order as "FSO authorised persons", when regulating higher-risk buildings. It ensures that these FSO authorised persons have the legal power to provide assistance requested by the Building Safety Regulator. This provision is intended to be used for Crown premises within scope of the Part 4 occupation regime.
	This section does not contain a power to direct because FSO authorised persons are Crown servants. If a request for support by the Building Safety Regulator were not agreed and the Building Safety Regulator considered securing such support from FSO authorised persons to be essential, the Building Safety Regulator may approach the Secretary of State to request their assistance.
	Section 15 makes further provisions in relation to the assistance to be provided by local authorities, fire and rescue authorities and FSO authorised persons. This section enables appropriate funding to be provided for the activity requested from local authorities and fire and rescue authorities, and any activity necessary to support this.
	This section achieves this by enabling funding to be provided both through grants from the Secretary of State and enabling regulations to be made setting out how the Building Safety Regulator would reimburse local authorities and fire and rescue authorities for costs incurred in supporting it. FSO authorised persons are Crown servants and can be supported administratively by the Government without further legislation.
	This section places a duty on fire and rescue authorities and local authorities to use competent staff when supporting the Building Safety Regulator. The Secretary of State will ensure that FSO authorised persons are sufficiently competent.
	This section also enables the Secretary of State to make regulations in respect of the provision of support by local authorities, fire and rescue authorities, or FSO authorised persons to the Building Safety Regulator.