HC Deb 20 March 1951 vol 485 cc2280-1
16. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he can yet make a statement following his inquiries into the serious position that has developed for gipsies in finding places where they and their caravans can be accommodated without breaking the law.

Mr. Dalton

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary tells me that in most counties there is no serious problem. In a few places land occupied by gipsies is required for other purposes, but the gipsies should generally be able to find alternative sites.

Mr. Dodds

Is my right hon. Friend not aware that the Romany race is persecuted and hounded between local authorities and the police? [HON. MEMBERS: "Harried."] Yes, harried or persecuted. The bylaw which permits them to be driven from a district, even when they have lived there for 20 or more years, takes no thought of whether another resting place can be obtained, and the position gets more serious week by week. Can my right hon. Friend do anything about it?

Mr. Dalton

Obviously there are two sides to this subject. The local authorities only want to put the land to the best and most effective use, and I do not want to intervene unduly in the activities of local authorities in this matter.

Major Legge-Bourke

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to bear in mind that some of the gipsies who have been moved can only be put on ground very close to permanent dwellings and that this has caused considerable offence to the occupants of those houses? Can he give an assurance that if fresh places can be found, they will be on land under the control of the county agricultural executive committees rather than of anybody else?

Mr. Dalton

I did say that I thought there were two sides to this matter, and the last supplementary question may illustrate that. I am not anxious to harry the local authorities unduly.

Mr. Walker-Smith

Is the Minister satisfied that the general position is not unnecessarily complicated by concurrent legislation on town planning and public-health? Will he look into the matter?

Mr. Dodds

In order to give chapter and verse for this diabolically cruel system practised by so-called Christian people, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.