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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Justice speeding up the eviction process for illegal Traveller encampments by appointing specialist magistrates able to sit at short notice and out-of-hours.

We are concerned at reports that some local authorities and police forces are not taking effective action to deal with unauthorised encampments. We will therefore be looking to hold discussions with Ministerial colleagues, including Justice Ministers, on what more we can do to help councils and the police deal effectively with unauthorised encampments.

We are open to any detailed representations that my hon. Friend, and other hon. Members, may wish to provide on these matters.