§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions he has held with local authorities during the last 12 months about the occupation of council housing stock by squatters; and if he will make a statement;
(2) on what date his Department became responsible for issues relating to squatting and what changes of responsibility, (a) in respect of detailed responsibilities and (b) in regard to being the lead department have taken place in the past 10 years;
(3) with what other Departments of State and in respect of which responsibilities, his Department shares responsibility for issues relating to squatting.
§ Mr. MacleanFifty-seven local authorities responded to the Home Office consultation exercise on squatting conducted in 1991–92, out of which our current proposals arose. We have had no further discussions with local authorities on this subject in the last 12 months.
Several Government Departments have an interest in the problem of squatting, and the leading interest may vary 745W according to which aspect of the problem is under consideration. The Home Office is responsible for the criminal law as it relates to squatting and other forms of intrusion on to property. In particular, we have responsibility for the existing criminal provisions related to squatting in sections 6 and 7 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, and for any proposals to extend the criminal law regarding squatting or other forms of trespass. The civil law relating to trespass, including squatting, is a matter for the Lord Chancellor's Department. Government policy in relation to housing issues, including homelessness, and to local authorities, is primarily a matter for the Department of the Environment. No changes have taken place in these respective responsibilities over the past 10 years. Other Government Departments with an interest in this subject include the Scottish Office, the Northern Ireland Office, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.