§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he takes to satisfy himself of the adequacy of the provision of facilities for gipsies under the Caravan Sites Act 1968, and of the criteria applied in choosing designated gipsy sites; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will review the criteria laid down by his Department for the selection and designation of gipsy sites by local authorities.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneMy Department monitors progress on the provision of authorised sites through periodic returns from local authorities, summaries of which are placed in the Library. The arrangements for approval of Exchequer capital grant for local authorities' gipsy site proposals ensure, so far as possible, that the facilities to be provided on such sites are both adequate for their purpose and reflect a due regard for economy. I am satisfied that local authorities already have sufficient guidance in departmental circulars and other supplementary advice issued from time to time to enable them to carry out their statutory functions of selecting and designating sites.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has made of social, environmental and, where appropriate, permanent housing provision for gipsy caravan dwellers both outside and within the Romany category in continental categories; and if he will publish the findings.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneNo such studies have been made. The arrangements in present UK legislation are sufficient to enable authorities to make adequate provision for gipsies (as defined in the 1968 Act) including the provision of housing accommodation where this is appropriate.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what review he has made of improved housing provision for gipsy caravan dwellers not within the Romany category; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIt is not practicable to distinguish between Romanies and other gipsies. I understand, from recent inquiries made by my Department, that a number of authorities have positively encouraged gipsy caravan dwellers to move into permanent housing where this has seemed appropriate and likely to be successful.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he plans to take to protect the gipsy community and designated gipsy sites from incursions by non-gipsy itinerants;
(2) what estimate or survey has been undertaken by his Department to establish how many people who are not gipsies are benefiting from the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneAs with the initial provision of sites, their subsequent management is the responsibility of the local authorities, part of whose task will be to ensure as far as possible that the sites are not used or invaded by other than the gipsies for whom they are provided.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of gipsies, or gipsy families, as defined under the Caravan Sites Act 1968, for whom sites have been found since the Act came into operation; and what are the approximate numbers for whom designated sites have still to be found.
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§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe available information relates to caravans rather than families. In July 1984 there were 3,913 caravans on council sites, 1,748 on authorised private sites and 3,930 on unauthorised sites.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of sites which have been designated by local authorities for gipsies since the introduction of the Caravan Sites Act 1968; and how many further sites are currently under examination.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThere are at present some 230 official gipsy sites in England compared with about 20 when the Act came into force in 1970. The number of potential sites under examination is a matter for the local authorities in whose areas gipsies are as yet without adequate accommodation.
§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implications for the total number of gipsies covered by the Caravan Sites Act 1968 of the adoption of a more restrictive definition of gipsy status; if he will list the alternative definitions which he has considered and the impact each would have on the number of gipsies covered by the Act; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneI refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) on 20 February at column482. My Department's research, while re-affirming the appropriateness of the present definition, had examined the possibilities and problems involved in attempting to restrict the definition.