Jul. 26 2023
Source Page: Equality and Human Rights Commission: annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023Found: investigation into Pontins’ holiday parks due to continued concerns about discrimination against Gypsies
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of The Traveller Movement's report Available but not Accessible Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers: barriers in accessing purposeful activities in prison, published on 27 March.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
As part of the HMPPS Gypsy, Roma & Traveller (GRT) Strategy, we are committed to fully considering the Traveller Movement Report ‘Available but not Accessible’. This activity is ongoing, and will include consultation with the Traveller Movement, and potentially, other GRT-associated third sector organisations.
The associated action plan will be updated to incorporate necessary activity in association with further HMPPS evidence-based assessments also currently under consideration. The review is expected to be fully completed by Autumn 2023.
Jul. 26 2023
Source Page: Hidden homelessness: international evidence reviewFound: In Travellers, Gypsies, Roma: The Demonisation of Difference : Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 15 June (HL8295), how they are targeting the extra funds for suicide prevention among the minority ethnic groups with a higher than average prevalence of suicide, including the Gypsy and Traveller communities; and whether they treat Gypsy and Traveller men as a high risk category.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As part of the Spring 2023 Budget, an additional £10 million was announced for a Suicide Prevention Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Grant Fund to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis. Further information about the fund will be set out in due course.
We also announced on 9 May 2022 that 113 suicide prevention voluntary, community and social enterprises received a share of £5.4 million funding in 2021/22, distributed through the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, to prevent suicide in high-risk groups, including people from minority ethnic groups.
Whilst Gypsy and Traveller men are not named as a high-risk group within the current national suicide prevention strategy of 2012 or subsequent progress reports, we are aware of research indicating increased risk in Gypsy and Traveller groups. Every local authority has a multi-agency suicide prevention plan in place and we have published a resource to support local suicide prevention planning, a copy of which is attached. The resource emphasises that local demographics need to be considered when developing plans, and that this includes considering the needs of people from minority ethnic groups, such as Gypsies and Travellers.
We have committed to publish a new national suicide prevention strategy later this year and have been engaging widely across the sector to understand what further action we can take to reduce cases of suicides. The new strategy will reflect new evidence and national priorities for preventing suicides across England.
Mentions:
1: Deidre Brock (SNP - Edinburgh North and Leith) include the APPG on Malawi, the APPG on immigration detention, the APPG on HIV and AIDS, the APPG on Gypsies - Speech Link
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) Gypsies and (b) Travellers living on Traveller sites have (i) applied for and (ii) received an Alternative Fuels Payment.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government do not hold the data requested.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish disaggregated data on the number of Gypsies and Travellers living on sites who have (a) applied for and (b) received the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding payment since the scheme was introduced.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As of 11th July 2023, the cumulative number of those who self-declared as travellers (fixed) that had applied for the Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding (GB & NI) was 12,040, of whom 8,120 had received their payment for the support.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to change the definition of Gypsies and Travellers in the document published by his Department entitled Planning policy for traveller sites in 2015 to that used in the 2012 version.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Secretary of State is carefully considering the policy contained in the Planning Policy Traveller Sites 2015 following the court judgment in Lisa Smith v SSLUHC [2022].
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) Gypsies and Travellers living on roadside camps and (b) itinerant liveaboard Boaters can access the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Officials are still working to determine if there is a robust method for Gypsies and Travellers and itinerant liveaboard boaters to provide proof that their caravan or boat is their main or sole residence. This is necessary so they can receive the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding support whilst protecting public funds from fraud. The Government is working to resolve this issue and will communicate any decision with stakeholder associations who represent these households when it has been made.
Mentions:
1: Baroness Whitaker (LAB - Life peer) Lords, there is a very high proportion of hidden homelessness—hidden but none the less very real—among Gypsies - Speech Link