Travelling People (Hansard, 12 February 1988)

§ Mr. Jim Marshall
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans exist to establish further serviced legal sites for travelling people in Northern Ireland; where it is intended that these should be located; what services will be provided; and how many families will be accommodated at each site.

§ Mr. Needham
Current plans provide for additional serviced sites to Great Britain gipsy site design guide standards for 98 families distributed over three council areas; namely, Belfast city council 72, Derry city council 12 and Strabane city council 14.

§ Mr. Jim Marshall
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government have taken to prevent harassment of travelling people in Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Needham
Travelling people are entitled to the same protection as other Northern Ireland citizens. The Advisory Committee on Travellers is particularly vigilant in respect of conflicts between the travelling people and local communities and seeks to resolve such conflicts as speedly and amicably as possible.

Education and Library Board £

1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 ¹1986–87 ²1987–88

Belfast 16,765 26,941 50,344 48,631 45,392 35,318 30,084 35,000

North-Eastern 32,262 54,646 73,517 74,027 74,382 52,270 40,416 38,000

South-Eastern 21,782 30,531 36,661 37,075 43,522 38,887 30,922 32,000

Southern 71,573 104,014 172,745 174,114 180,459 113,048 87,298 82,000

Western 94,419 162,758 180,562 189,991 174,558 124,467 127,681 101,000

¹ Unaudited figures.

² Estimated figures taken from 1987–88 revised recurrent schemes.

396W

§ Mr. Jim Marshall
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what environmental health monitoring is undertaken at legal and other sites occupied by travelling people in Northern Ireland.

§ Mr. Needham
Environmental health officers of district councils in Northern Ireland visit legal and other sites occupied by travelling people to monitor living conditions and general environmental and sanitary standards. Close liaison is maintained with doctors, health visitors and social workers who also visit the sites.

§ Mr. Jim Marshall
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made in the Belfast urban area plan for site provision for travelling people; and what plans exist for serviced site provision in the Belfast area.

§ Mr. Needham
Belfast city council plans to develop fully serviced sites for the 72 travelling families resident in its area. It has currently planning permission for one site and has made applications for planning permission to develop five other sites. A further location is under active investigation by the council. The Belfast urban area plan deals with strategic development issues and is not an appropriate basis for dealing with the needs of travelling people.
The council was represented on the 1984 Department of Environment working party on travelling people. The working party produced recommendations which are the basis of current Department of the Environment policies for travelling people. The council has three representatives on the Advisory Committee on Travellers which advises the Minister on the implementation of travellers policy and takes an active role in promoting that policy.

Education and Library Board	£
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	¹1986–87	²1987–88
Belfast	16,765	26,941	50,344	48,631	45,392	35,318	30,084	35,000
North-Eastern	32,262	54,646	73,517	74,027	74,382	52,270	40,416	38,000
South-Eastern	21,782	30,531	36,661	37,075	43,522	38,887	30,922	32,000
Southern	71,573	104,014	172,745	174,114	180,459	113,048	87,298	82,000
Western	94,419	162,758	180,562	189,991	174,558	124,467	127,681	101,000
¹ Unaudited figures.
² Estimated figures taken from 1987–88 revised recurrent schemes.