27/01/2004

Anti-arson schemes gain £9m funding boost

Anti-arson projects across England are set to receive a share of more than £9 million of funding over three years, Fire Safety Minister Phil Hope announced today.

Arson is the "single largest cause" of fires in the UK which, in addition to the suffering it causes, is responsible for around £2 billion worth of property damage a year. Today's funding awards, which come from the £43 million three-year programme for community fire safety and arson reduction, focuses on fire prevention schemes and arson control - key themes of government's fire service modernisation bill.

Projects that have proved "effective in the past" in driving down the number of malicious fires, such as car clearance schemes, have also received a share of the funding today from the Arson Control Forum (ACF) Implementation Fund.

The funding will also assist the neighbourhood renewal plans and complements the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan launched by the Prime Minister in October 2003.

The government has targeted a 10% reduction in the number of deliberate fires by 31st March 2010 from the 2001/02 's baseline.

(gmcg)

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