§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many gipsy caravans were counted in each local authority area in the January and July counts of(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; and how many of those caravans were parked on unauthorised sites; [100485]
(2) what is his current estimate of the number of (a) gipsy caravans and (b) other travellers' vehicles in England. [100486]
§ Mr. MullinThe figures for the latest five counts of gipsy caravans broken down by local authority are routinely placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as they become available. They include details of the numbers of gipsy caravans on authorised (public and private) sites and on unauthorised sites in every local authority area. Figures for January 1997 to January 1999 are included in the table which was published in May this year, and the figures for July 1997 to July 1999 are included in the table which was published in October this year.
At the time of the count of gipsy caravans in July this year, there was a total of 13,399 gipsy caravans on authorised (public and private) sites and on unauthorised sites in England. Gipsies are defined in legislation as
persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin".139W The Department does not keep records of the number of vehicles belonging to other travellers who do not fall within that definition.