Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what statistics his Department collates on the number of accidental dwelling fires (a) in the private rented sector, (b) in the social rented sector and (c) for owner occupiers.

The table below shows the number of accidental dwelling fires attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England and illustrates a fall in incidents over the past ten years.

_{Source: DCLG incident Recording System, Fire Statistics Monitor 2013-14}

Smokers’ materials (i.e. cigarettes, cigars or pipe tobacco) were the most common source of ignition for accidental dwelling fires which resulted in fatalities, while cooking appliances were the most common source of ignition for accidental dwelling fires overall.

We do not hold information on accidental dwelling fires by tenure. The English Housing Survey in 2013-14 estimated total fire outbreaks within the last two years (both accidental and deliberate, and including those not attended by Fire and Rescue Services) as occurring in 2.1 per cent of private rented, 2.4 per cent of social rented sector, and 1.4 per cent of owner occupied dwellings.