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, when he plans to amend the planning policy definition of Gypsies and Travellers in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2015; and whether he plans to revert to the definition used in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2012.
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: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure local authorities are meeting the accommodation needs of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Specific planning policies for traveller sites are set out in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites document which should be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework. Local authorities are best placed to make decisions about the number and location of such sites locally, having had due regard to national policy and local circumstances.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many authorised Traveller sites in England are within 50 metres of (1) A-roads, (2) motorways, (3) sewage stations, (4) waste recycling centres, (5) industrial estates, and (6) railway lines.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many authorised Traveller sites have given rise to complaints to local authorities about (1) environmental pollution and degradation, and (2) vermin infestation.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many local authorities conduct regular pollution monitoring of (1) air, (2) noise, and (3) land, contamination on authorised Traveller sites.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many authorised Traveller sites are on contaminated land.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps his Department has taken to help support local authorities to tackle unauthorised encampments established by travellers.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Local authorities and the police have a wide range of powers that enable them to work in partnership and take action against unauthorised encampments. Additional police powers to tackle trespassers who set up camp illegally on other people’s land or in local communities came into force on 28 June 2022.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour arising from traveller sites; and what powers local police forces hold to help tackle illegal encampments.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
This Government recognises the misery that unauthorised encampments can cause and that is why we have delivered on our manifesto commitment to give police the powers they need to tackle those people on unauthorised encampments who cause harm.
Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which received Royal Assent in April, we strengthened the police’s powers to arrest and seize the vehicles and other property of those who set up unauthorised encampments and cause damage, disruption or distress.
The measures also extend the powers of the police to direct trespassers to leave land.
Asked by: Christopher Pincher (Independent - Tamworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle unauthorised encampments established by travellers.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
This Government recognises the misery that unauthorised encampments can cause and that is why we have delivered on our manifesto commitment to give police the powers they need to tackle those people on unauthorised encampments who cause harm.
Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, which received Royal Assent in April, we strengthened the police’s powers to arrest and seize the vehicles and other property of those who set up unauthorised encampments and cause damage, disruption or distress.
The measures also extend the powers of the police to direct trespassers to leave land.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with Minister for Women and Equalities on not collecting data on the provision of authorised traveller sites for the Gypsy, Romany and Traveller community; and if he will make an assessment of the impact of not collecting that data on that community.
Answered by Paul Scully
Government policy (the 'Planning Policy for Traveller Sites' or PPTS) is clear that local planning authorities should assess the need for traveller accommodation and identify land for sites. Local authorities are best placed to make decisions about the number and location of such sites locally, having had due regard to national policy and local circumstances.
DLUHC publishes the Traveller Caravan Count, which is compiled from information submitted by local authorities in England. Local authorities carry out the count of caravans on traveller sites twice a year, in January and July, providing a snapshot of the number of caravans on the day of the count. The Traveller Caravan Count can be viewed using this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traveller-caravan-count.