Studio E could not be expected to sign off the drawings of specialist designers, project associate Neil Crawford told the Grenfell Tower inquiry.

The knowledge required to scrutinise the work of specialists was beyond the scope of a novated architect’s expertise, he said.

It was the point of employing specialists, he added.

Crawford, the third Studio E staffer to give evidence this week, joined the firm from Fosters in 2009 and took over the Grenfell project from colleague Bruce Sounes in 2014. Sounes was taken ill during his evidence on Wednesday and a date for his return to the inquiry , which is due to resume on Monday, has not been given.

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