HC Deb 18 March 1981 vol 1 cc96-7W
Dr. Roger Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the 16 per cent. increase in fires in 1979 as compared with the previous year.

Mr. Mayhew

The increase between 1978 and 1979 in the fires attended by local authority fire brigades in the United Kingdom was 8 per cent.; the hon. Member may have in mind the 16 per cent. increase between 1978 and 1979 in the number of deaths from these fires. The changes between 1978 and 1979 in both the number of fires and the number of deaths are discussed in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom 1979", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.