Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent representations he has received on illegal encampments by the Traveller community.

My Department published a consultation on 5 April alongside the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, in order to seek views on the effectiveness of powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments. Views were sought on a range of related issues, including the powers available to local authorities and the police. The consultation closed on 15 June and we are currently considering the responses before deciding on next steps. We received over 2,000 representations and we will publish a Government response to the consultation in due course.