§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will announce his conclusions on the outcome of the review of section 39 of the Public Order Act; and whether he has plans to ensure that eviction powers take account of the needs of pregnant and newly-delivered traveller women.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWe hope to announce the results of the evaluation of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986 by the end of the year. There is already a defence in the section for an accused person to show that he had a reasonable excuse for failing to leave the land, which he had been directed by the police to leave, as soon as894W reasonably practicable. As part of the evaluation we are considering whether specific account should be taken of the health of trespassers before a direction to leave the land is given.