New figures reveal shocking number of arson attacks in schools

Teachers need more powers to deal with violence and disruption says Prospective MP

Graham Evans, Weaver Vales Prospective MP, this weekexpressed alarm atnew figures which reveal that the police have been called into schools across the country over 1,000 times in the last two years because of arson attacks – the equivalent of almost two incidents a day.

According to information uncovered through Freedom of Information Act requests by the Conservative Party, in Cheshire, there have been 33 reported cases of arson or suspicious fires on school property.

·         The total cost of arson attacks in schools has been put at over £100 million, taking fully into account the disruption to pupils, teachers and parents, and waste of fire service and police resources.

·         93 per cent of school arson attacks have been found to have been carried out by young people under the age of 18. Most of these are by pupils, ex-pupils or those with siblings at the school. One third of attacks are carried out during school hours.

·         The figures underline the need to implement Conservative proposals to give headteachers the power to ban, search for, and confiscate any item they think likely to cause violence or disruption in schools, including lighters and matches. Labour Ministers are against these essential reforms.

Graham, commented:  “Action is needed in response to the shocking news that there have been 33 arson attacks in Cheshire’s schools in the last two years alone. Teachers must have greater power to deal with violence and to remove disruptive pupils. Head teachers must be able to search for, and ban, any items that could lead to deliberate damage to school property, violent behaviour or disruption. Only Conservatives have committed to taking the action that is needed so urgently.”

29 May 2009