§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about Circular 18/94, in relation to the Police and Criminal Justice Act 1994; and if he will make a statement. [23831]
§ Ms ArmstrongSections 77 to 79 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 give all local authorities powers to deal with unauthorised camping, and my Department's Circular no. 18/94, "Gypsy Sites Policy and Unauthorised Camping", gives advice to local authorities on the use of these powers.
My Department has received a number of representations, both from local authorities and from groups representing gypsies and travellers, about the advice in Circular 18/94. We have commissioned a research project to consolidate existing good practice for local authorities in dealing with unauthorised camping, with a view to producing guidance. We will be consulting the Local Government Association and others on a draft of that guidance in the spring.