§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of(a) the traditional travelling community and (b) the new age travellers.
§ Mr. BaldryThe Department does not hold information in the form requested. Section 16 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 defines gipsies as "persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin". In some cases, the Courts have held that individual new age travellers are gipsies within the statutory definition. Local authorities in England and Wales undertake regular counts of gipsy caravans in their areas, and in January 1992 English local authorities counted a total of 12,777 gipsy caravans.