Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all Gypsies, Roma and Travellers have access to basic utilities, water and sanitation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local authorities have a responsibility to look after vulnerable groups in their area, including Gypsy and Traveller communities. That is why I wrote to local authority Chief Executives on 11 April highlighting the need to mitigate potential impacts of COVID-19 amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities. In this letter, I noted that some Gypsies and Travellers may need assistance in accessing basic facilities such as water, sanitation and waste disposal, to enable them to adhere to public health guidelines around self-isolation and social distancing.

The Government is determined to ensure everyone gets the support they need to look after themselves and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak and are enabled to take the necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus. We are holding regular discussions with representatives from Gypsy and Traveller communities to understand the issues they are facing, and to understand what guidance and support is needed, including for local authorities. On 18 April, the Local Government Secretary announced that councils across England will receive a further £1.6 billion to help them to deal with the immediate impacts of coronavirus. This takes the total funding to support councils to respond to the pandemic to over £3.2 billion.