Gypsies and Travellers

HL Deb 17 June 2004 vol 662 cc92-3WA

Lord Ouseley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they intend to propose legislation to provide security of tenure for Gypsies and Travellers living on local authority sites, following the ruling on 27 May of the European Court of Human Rights that the United Kingdom's existing legislation failed to protect Gypsies' rights in accordance with the right to respect for private and family life under the European Convention on Human Rights. [HL3114]

The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering the implications of the judgment in theConnors v UK case. We are already looking at the tenure issues associated with Gypsy and Traveller sites as part of our wide-ranging review, which will report to Ministers in the summer.

If our review concludes that a change in the status of those residing on local authority residential sites is appropriate, then the Law Commission's current tenure review would be an appropriate vehicle to take this forward.