§ 27. Mr. Bill Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to change the grants available to local authorities for the provision of permanent caravan sites for travelling people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindIt is not my right hon. Friend's intention to change the existing arrangements, under which grants are available of 100 per cent. of approved capital costs of local authority sites for travelling people. The present scheme was introduced in June 1980 to offer assistance to those local authorities faced with the difficult problems posed by unauthorised sites and has been generally welcomed.