§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the current average time taken by local authorities to respond to complaints relating to illegal travellers. [46212]
§ Mr. RaynsfordMy Department does not collect such information centrally.
It is for local authorities to develop their own policies for responding to incidents of unauthorised camping. In doing so, my Department would expect local authorities to take account of existing legislation, current Circular advice from my Department, and prevailing local circumstances.
My Department's proposed good practice on unauthorised camping, to which I referred in my previous reply of 15 June 1998, Official Report, column 36, will also look at such issues, based on research carried out on current practice in local authorities.