To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009, Official Report, column 749W, on fires, what categories of household items are included in the statistical reporting of fire incidents as (a) item first ignited and (b) other. (280364)

Under the previous system of reporting fires, which ended in March 2009, the main headings of household items categories are as follows:

cooking

heating

lighting

other (electrical appliances)

clothing and textiles

furniture and furnishings

waste, other (mostly paper items).

All categories are listed on pages 40 to 49 of the “Fire Data Report Code List (version 5)”.

Similar categories are in use under the new Incident Recording System, and these are listed on pages 67 to 72 of “Incident Recording System Questions and Lists (version 1.1)”. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library of the House.