To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


View sample alert

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Travellers: Caravan Sites
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's guidance to local authorities on the requirements for the (a) number of pitches and (b) infrastructure within Gypsy, Roma and Traveller sites.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

Plan policies, including those relating to gypsy and traveller provision, are tested at examination by an independently appointed Inspector before they can be adopted. The examination of the plan will consider whether adequate site provision has been made for gypsies and travellers based on assessed needs.

This Department does not make an assessment of the effectiveness of short stop sites for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community, whether such sites are transit sites or provided as part of negotiated stopping agreements with the local authority.


Written Question
Travellers: Caravan Sites
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to assess the adequacy of the number of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers in local plans.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

Plan policies, including those relating to gypsy and traveller provision, are tested at examination by an independently appointed Inspector before they can be adopted. The examination of the plan will consider whether adequate site provision has been made for gypsies and travellers based on assessed needs.

This Department does not make an assessment of the effectiveness of short stop sites for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community, whether such sites are transit sites or provided as part of negotiated stopping agreements with the local authority.


Written Question
Travellers: Caravan Sites
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of short stop sites for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

Plan policies, including those relating to gypsy and traveller provision, are tested at examination by an independently appointed Inspector before they can be adopted. The examination of the plan will consider whether adequate site provision has been made for gypsies and travellers based on assessed needs.

This Department does not make an assessment of the effectiveness of short stop sites for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community, whether such sites are transit sites or provided as part of negotiated stopping agreements with the local authority.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate: Travellers
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to take steps to (a) provide Gypsies and Travellers living on roadside encampments with support through Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding and (b) work with (i) Traveller Liaison Officers and (ii) other Local Authorities Officers to confirm the eligibility of those people for that scheme.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

After stakeholder engagement sessions and research exercises, the government has been unable to establish a robust method for households in caravans not on permanent sites to prove that their caravan is their main or sole residence, whilst protecting public funds against fraud.

We recommend that these households should contact their local authority to apply for the Housing Support Fund and also visit the ‘Help for Households’ webpage on GOV.UK to view what other support they may be eligible to receive - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate: Travellers
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not including gypsies and travellers living in roadside camps from the Energy Bill Support Scheme on those people.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government has been in contact with representatives of itinerant travellers to understand their concerns and seek to overcome barriers to accessing the EBSS Alternative Funding. We have been unable to establish a robust method for households in caravans not on permanent sites to prove that their caravan is their main or sole residence, whilst protecting public funds against fraud. We recommend that these households should contact their local authority to apply for the Housing Support Fund and also visit the ‘Help for Households’ webpage on GOV.UK to view what other support they may be eligible to receive - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate: Travellers
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Energy Bills Support Scheme to gypsies and travellers living in roadside camps.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government has been unable to establish a robust method for households in caravans not on permanent sites to prove that their caravan is their main or sole residence, whilst protecting public funds against fraud. However, we recommend that these households should contact their local authority to apply for the Housing Support Fund. We also recommend that they visit the ‘Help for Households’ webpage on GOV.UK to view what other support they may be eligible to receive - https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/.


Written Question
Travellers: Caravan Sites
Monday 4th September 2023

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to amend the planning policy definition of Gypsies and Travellers in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2015; and whether he plans to revert to the definition used in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2012.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Secretary of State is carefully considering the policy contained in the Planning Policy Traveller Sites 2015 following the court judgment in Lisa Smith v SSLUHC [2022]


Written Question
Prisons: Travellers
Wednesday 26th July 2023

Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of The Traveller Movement's report Available but not Accessible Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers: barriers in accessing purposeful activities in prison, published on 27 March.

Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As part of the HMPPS Gypsy, Roma & Traveller (GRT) Strategy, we are committed to fully considering the Traveller Movement Report ‘Available but not Accessible’. This activity is ongoing, and will include consultation with the Traveller Movement, and potentially, other GRT-associated third sector organisations.

The associated action plan will be updated to incorporate necessary activity in association with further HMPPS evidence-based assessments also currently under consideration. The review is expected to be fully completed by Autumn 2023.


Written Question
Suicide: Men
Thursday 20th July 2023

Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 15 June (HL8295), how they are targeting the extra funds for suicide prevention among the minority ethnic groups with a higher than average prevalence of suicide, including the Gypsy and Traveller communities; and whether they treat Gypsy and Traveller men as a high risk category.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As part of the Spring 2023 Budget, an additional £10 million was announced for a Suicide Prevention Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Grant Fund to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis. Further information about the fund will be set out in due course.

We also announced on 9 May 2022 that 113 suicide prevention voluntary, community and social enterprises received a share of £5.4 million funding in 2021/22, distributed through the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, to prevent suicide in high-risk groups, including people from minority ethnic groups.

Whilst Gypsy and Traveller men are not named as a high-risk group within the current national suicide prevention strategy of 2012 or subsequent progress reports, we are aware of research indicating increased risk in Gypsy and Traveller groups. Every local authority has a multi-agency suicide prevention plan in place and we have published a resource to support local suicide prevention planning, a copy of which is attached. The resource emphasises that local demographics need to be considered when developing plans, and that this includes considering the needs of people from minority ethnic groups, such as Gypsies and Travellers.

We have committed to publish a new national suicide prevention strategy later this year and have been engaging widely across the sector to understand what further action we can take to reduce cases of suicides. The new strategy will reflect new evidence and national priorities for preventing suicides across England.


Written Question
Alternative Fuel Payments: Travellers
Tuesday 18th July 2023

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) Gypsies and (b) Travellers living on Traveller sites have (i) applied for and (ii) received an Alternative Fuels Payment.

Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government do not hold the data requested.