Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the official statistics entitled Count of Traveller Caravans, July 2025: England, published on 11 December 2025, what information his Department holds on the reasons for the 22% increase in unauthorised developments on land owned by travellers in the last year.

The July 2025 Traveller Caravan Count reported a 21% increase in unauthorised developments since July 2024. The reported increase in unauthorised developments is due in part to improved reporting in this category; data providers are encouraged to report the excess caravans on sites with planning permission as unauthorised developments where the planning permission has been breached or exceeded.

My Department does not systematically collect or hold the reasons for increases in figures of each site type, although some information may be provided by local authorities in order to assist with quality assuring the statistics. Comments provided as part of quality assurance include references to caravans in excess of planning permission on some sites, as well as sites where a planning decision is pending. Local authorities are best placed to provide information on reasons for increases in their area.