Tory candidate alarmed at school arson figures

PHILIP J MILTON, Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Devon, has expressed alarm at new figures which reveal that the police have been called into schools across the country more than 1,000 times in the last two years because of ars

PHILIP J MILTON, Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Devon, has expressed alarm at new figures which reveal that the police have been called into schools across the country more than 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 the Devon & Cornwall Police Force area there have been 74 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.

Ninety-three 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.

Mr Milton said:"Action is needed in response to the shocking news that there have been 74 arson attacks in Devon and Cornwall'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.