§ Sir P. Rawlinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish the Cripps Report; whether he is satisfied with the powers enjoyed by local authorities to provide land for gipsy encampments and the clearing of illegal encampments; and whether he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MarksAs I said in answer to a Question on 10th January 1977 from my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mr. Douglas-Mann), the report is now being printed and it is expected to be published within the next two months.
Local authorities have sufficient powers to provide sites for gipsy encampments, but it was because not nearly enough sites were being provided that Mr. Cripps was appointed to study the effectiveness of the arrangements to secure adequate accommodation for gipsies. Eviction of gipsies from illegal encampments is no solution until there are official sites to which they can move. My right hon. Friend does not propose to make a statement at present.—[Vol. 923, c. 392.]