Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Romani people are not being discriminated against in the UK.

The Government is committed to creating a fair society in which all people, of whatever ethnic origin or background, are able to participate fully in society and realise their full potential. The Government deplores racism in all its forms and is determined to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get on in life, free from harassment and fear. The UK has a strong and well-established legal framework to combat discrimination and hate crime, which protects all individuals, including Roma, from racial and other forms of discrimination, and racially motivated crime. Officials in my Department hold regular meetings with Roma, Gypsy and Traveller organisations to discuss issues of concern to those communities.