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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the costs of cleaning up illegal Traveller sites are recovered from the perpetrators of damage caused.

The government is concerned about unauthorised encampments and the effect that they can have on communities. Local authorities and the police have a wide range of strong powers that enable them to take action and we want to see them working together to address this issue. A summary of the powers is published on the government's website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-illegal-and-unauthorised-encampments

This summary includes the powers available to local authorities to clean up after unauthorised encampments. There are also associated powers for local authorities to recover the costs of cleaning up in certain circumstances. Where the perpetrators of fly-tipping can be identified, they can be prosecuted and fined for depositing waste illegally. Swift enforcement action against unauthorised encampments will reduce the opportunities for fly-tipping. Ordering of legal costs and/or damages is at the discretion of the Court.