Empty Property: Fires

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many unoccupied domestic properties in England and Wales were damaged or affected by fire in each of the last five years for which figures are available. (176903)

[holding answer 7 January 2008]: The information requested is in the following table.

*Fires in unoccupied dwellings, England and Wales, 2002-06*
	Number
2002	3,031
2003	2,827
2004	2,286
2005	1,592
2006	1,424
Note: Data for 2006 are provisional. Excludes incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action in 2002 and 03.

Volume 470: debated on Tuesday 8 January 2008