[holding answer 30 November 2006]: I have been asked to reply.
The available information covers fires attended by fire and rescue services occurring in further education establishments, these include the full range of colleges, institutions and universities.
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 12005 England 494 474 452 478 406 467 367 409 438 422 North West 79 54 65 58 54 68 79 83 102 91 North East 54 24 53 48 44 29 24 36 31 27 Yorkshire and the Humber 71 55 27 39 41 33 20 36 42 34 West Midlands 60 76 80 76 56 69 53 54 51 55 East Midlands 20 52 17 52 26 36 27 28 38 33 East of England 36 29 32 49 29 59 44 44 13 44 South East 60 80 73 69 90 51 57 38 78 59 South West 41 41 36 41 26 45 26 26 31 32 London 73 63 69 46 40 77 37 64 52 47 1Provisional Notes: 1. Excludes fires during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 2003. 2. Figures for 1996-2004 are based on sampled data grossed to fire and rescue service totals. Source: Fire and rescue service returns to the Department for Communities and Local Government