HC Deb 10 December 1987 vol 124 c234W
Mrs. Peacock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fatal fires there were in local authority homes for the elderly or sheltered housing in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The information readily available is given in the table. Fire statistics for 1986 will be available shortly.

Fires, and deaths in fires, attended by local authority fire brigades in certain locations1
United Kingdom Number
1983 1984 1985
Elderly persons' homes1
Fire deaths2 3 7 5
Fires resulting in these deaths of which, in local authority 3 4 5
premises3 2 1 2
Sheltered housing1
Fire deaths 5 4 6
Fires resulting in these deathsof which, in local authority 5 4 5
premises3 1 1
1 Information on location is based on brigades' descriptions of the premises involved. Figures for "sheltered housing" exclude premises described by brigades as old peoples" dwellings (flats, bungalows, etc) but not specifically as sheltered housing.
2 Figures published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (Table 32 of the volume for 1985).
3 Fires readily identifiable from fire reports as occurring in local authority premises. It is possible that some of the other fatal fires above were also in local authority premises.