§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make proposals for the more rapid provision of permanent gipsy caravan sites in England.
§ Mr. John SilkinI agree that many more sites are needed urgently. The responsibility lies clearly with the local authorities, which have all the powers they need. But my right bon. Friend is considering what further action the Government can take.
§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of gipsy families and the total gipsy population in England at the present time; and in what way the figures differ from those given for 1966 in Ministry of Housing and Local Government Circular 26/66 dated 14th June 1966.
§ Mr. John SilkinReliable estimates of the numbers at present in England are not available. A count by local authorities in 1965 showed approximately 3,000 families—about 13,600 persons. It is now generally recognised that this was an underestimate. Taking all factors into account, the present numbers seem likely to be between 4,500 and 5,000 families.
§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give, for each year since 1968, the details of gipsy caravan sites and pitches provided by local authorities in England under Part II of the Caravan Sites Act 1968, of those which are now proposed, of the local authorities which have been granted exemption from such provision and of those which have applied for exemption and been refused, or whose application is still outstanding.
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§ Mr. John SilkinPart II of the 1968 Act came into operation in April 1970. Local authority sites have been provided as follows:—
ENGLAND Numbers of Sites Pitches Up to April 1970 27 400 April 1970—December 1971 15 190 December 1971—December 1972 20 290 December 1972—December 1973 34 460 Totals 96 1,340 These figures include 29 temporary sites accommodating 340 families.
Returns in September 1973 showed that local authorities then had proposals to provide about 100 further sites to accommodate some 1,600 families at various future dates.
Exemption has been granted to 26 county borough councils, all on the grounds that the numbers of gipsies in the areas in the five-year period ending May 1968 was not sufficient to justify the provision of accommodation. Exemptions have been refused in 22 cases. There are seven outstanding claims, all from London boroughs, on the grounds that no suitable land is available.
§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of gipsies residing in or resorting to the areas of local authorities in Greater London and contiguous counties, respectively, as defined by the Caravan Sites Act 1968; and how many sites and pitches will be required in each case in order to discharge the obligations imposed on local authorities by Part II of the Act.
§ Mr. John SilkinPrecise figures are not available, but it is estimated that there may be something approaching 1,600 families in the area as a whole.
A London borough is not obliged by the 1968 Act to provide for more than 15 caravans at a time. It is for the county councils to assess how many sites and pitches they require.