Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how Awaab's Law will provide equal protection to Gypsies and Travellers living permanently in caravans on sites with amenity blocks that are rented from social landlords.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have introduced regulations to bring the first phase of Awaab's Law into effect in the social rented sector. Awaab's Law will protect tenants with relevant social housing leases by imposing obligations on the landlord to address dangerous damp and mould and emergency hazards quickly.
As caravans are not buildings according to the definitions set out in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 or the Housing Act 2004, it is the government’s position that Awaab’s Law will not extend to Gypsies and Travellers living permanently in caravans on sites with amenity blocks that are rented from social landlords.
We expect local councils to ensure amenity blocks provided on local authority managed GRT sites are safe and healthy. We will continue to engage with Parliamentarians and stakeholders on the issues affecting those in non-traditional tenures.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the inequalities faced by Romani, Roma, and Irish Traveller communities; and which team within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for leading that work.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government takes all forms of discrimination and inequality seriously. Efforts to reduce the challenges faced by any group or community – including those from Romani, Roma, and Irish Traveller communities - is at the heart of our mission to rebuild this country. Delivering opportunities for all is work that spans the roles and responsibilities of all parts of this government. We will continue to strive every day, across a range of policy areas and teams, to bring opportunity to people across our country.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many new pitches, as opposed to the refurbishment of existing pitches, were funded by the Affordable Homes Programme since its inception, excluding any funded by the Traveller Site Fund 2022/23.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 2016 and 2023 108 new traveller pitches have been delivered from the Affordable Homes Programmes. 85 of these have been through the 2015-18 and 2016-23 Affordable Homes Programmes, and 23 from the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Gypsy and Traveller sites the Affordable Homes Programme has funded in each year since its inception, and how many in total.
Answered by Baroness Penn
In total 208 permanent traveller pitches have been delivered since 2016, including pitches funded by other means apart from the Affordable Homes Programme.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Friends, Families and Travellers, Kicking the Can down the Road: the planning and provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites in England 1960–2023; and what steps, if any, they will take to implement its recommendations.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The Department has not made an assessment of the report by Friends, Families and Travellers on the planning and provision of traveller sites in England that was published in November 2023. It is the responsibility of local planning authorities to make their own assessment of the need for traveller sites and in producing their local plan to identify sites to meet that need.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the Fifth Opinion on the United Kingdom of the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in respect of the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The UK Government acknowledges the report from the Advisory Committee. We are studying its recommendations and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many authorised Traveller sites in England are within 50 metres of (1) A-roads, (2) motorways, (3) sewage stations, (4) waste recycling centres, (5) industrial estates, and (6) railway lines.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many authorised Traveller sites have given rise to complaints to local authorities about (1) environmental pollution and degradation, and (2) vermin infestation.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many local authorities conduct regular pollution monitoring of (1) air, (2) noise, and (3) land, contamination on authorised Traveller sites.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many authorised Traveller sites are on contaminated land.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) does not hold data centrally on the location of authorised traveller sites. The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites states that Local Planning Authorities, when developing their Local Plan, should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally.
Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, as part of the Environment Act, all Local Authorities in England are required to assess air quality in their area.
The Government does not hold centrally information on complaints for statutory nuisances. Section 78R of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to keep a public register about contaminated land in their respective areas.