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Gypsies
4. Julie Morgan (Cardiff, North): What plans he has to increase access to sites provided for gypsy travellers. [133436]
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill): As a Welsh Member, my hon. Friend will be aware that responsibility for gypsy and traveller accommodation in Wales has been devolved to the National Assembly. In England, over the past two years, the Government have spent £17 million on refurbishing 150 unused or under-used gypsy sites, and a similar amount is available over the next two years. From April this year, the funding is available for the provision of new transit sites.
Julie Morgan : I thank the Minister for that answer. Is he aware that it is estimated that 30 per cent. of gypsy and traveller families have no legal place to stay? Does he agree that one way forward might be to impose a statutory duty on local authorities to provide and facilitate sites?
Keith Hill: I am aware that many gypsies and travellers do not have access to authorised encampments. We are aware that that is a growing problem and we know of the great difficulties caused by unauthorised encampments, which is why we are bringing in a new power under the Anti-social Behaviour Bill to allow the rapid removal by the police of illegal encampments. The plain fact is that we need more authorised sites—both transit and residential. I am pleased to say that the number of sites that are privately owned by gypsies and travellers is increasing but there is also a clear need for local authorities to provide more sites. We are keeping all options under consideration.
Mr. Henry Bellingham (North-West Norfolk): I do not often praise Ministers, but I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on making an effort to get to grips with the problem, because he seems to be coming up with proactive and interesting ideas. Does he agree that the management of sites is important? One of the problems is that there is often fly-tipping, litter and other rubbish on the sites. Until the Conservatives took control of King's Lynn and West Norfolk borough council, the main traveller site at Saddlebow really was one hell of a mess. What will he do to ensure that the sites are better managed?
Keith Hill: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. We are well aware that the appearance of gypsies and travellers can create a nightmare for local residents and that the sites can be left in an appalling condition. We are seized of the issue and anxious that local authorities should have the opportunity to deal with fly tipping. As the hon. Gentleman knows, we are introducing further powers on fly tipping in the Anti-social Behaviour Bill and, of course, we expect local authorities to deal with such matters proactively.
Mr. Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): Derbyshire county council has tried to extend a site in my area of South Derbyshire. It would make a considerable difference to the potential success of the project if it
received full funding rather than the 75 per cent. funding offered by the Government. That would also relieve the pressure of illegal camping, which is a blight on much of my area. Will the Minister reconsider the 75 per cent. contribution?
Keith Hill: I understand my hon. Friend's point. The Government are making significant investments—£35 million over four years—and we contribute 75 per cent. toward costs. There are always pressures from local authorities to extract more money and there are finite resources for local government. Of course, our ears are open to all representations.
Andrew Selous (South-West Bedfordshire): When will the Government ensure that planning law is applied as stringently to gypsies as it is to members of the settled community?
Keith Hill: We continually keep the matter under review. We are certainly considering the further strengthening of planning powers. We are seized of the fact that the availability of authorised sites has dried up over the years. As to extensive new provision, it is interesting to observe that, from 1968 to 1994, when there was a requirement on local authorities to establish gypsy sites, some 300 sites were brought in—300 of only 324 authorised sites nationwide. Let me assure the hon. Gentleman that we are well aware of the issues. They are under consideration and we expect to come forward with new proposals in due course.
Regional Government Referendums
5. Mr. David Borrow (South Ribble): When he will announce whether the proposed referendums on regional government will be conducted by postal ballot. [133437]
The Minister for Local Government, Regional Governance and Fire (Mr. Nick Raynsford): Following a series of pilots in local authority elections and thorough evaluation by the Electoral Commission, it is clear that all-postal ballots can significantly increase levels of participation in elections. We have considered this evidence carefully, and I am pleased to announce today that the Government intend to hold the referendums on elected regional assemblies and on associated local government changes by all-postal ballots.
Mr. Borrow : I thank the Minister for that reply. It is the one that I hoped to get, and will encourage those of us who intend to campaign for a yes vote because we want to get the devolution of power that we deserve in the north-west.
Mr. Raynsford: I wish my hon. Friend every success with his campaign. We will do our utmost to ensure a high turnout in those very important referendums, which will determine the scope of devolved power to the English regions.
Peter Bottomley (Worthing, West): Will the Minister confirm that there is no call for a referendum in the south-east? In addition, what level of increased fraud—[Interruption.] The right hon. Gentleman's colleagues
think this is worth barracking. What level of increased fraud as a result of postal ballots will get him to revise his opinion? Will he keep that under review?
Mr. Raynsford: The whole principle on which we based our policy is one of choice. Those regions with an appetite for elected regional assemblies can have referendums. Those that have not expressed an interest are not required to do so. It is a simple matter of giving choice to the English regions.
On fraud, I referred to the Electoral Commission's thorough evaluation of the local government pilots. It found no evidence of increased fraud, although it did find clear evidence of a substantial increase in turnout, and it is on that basis that we are proceeding. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we will continue to look closely at the issue because it is vital to maintain the integrity of the ballot.
Geraldine Smith (Morecambe and Lunesdale): Although regional government may excite some politicians, is it not the case that the soundings exercise in the north-west proved that the vast majority of people were totally uninterested and unenthusiastic about a referendum? Will not those people consider a postal ballot a complete waste of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Raynsford: No, I profoundly disagree with my hon. Friend. I remind her that there were several thousand responses in the north-west from a wide range of organisations representative of many thousands more people. I am surprised that my hon. Friend is resisting the option given to people in the north-west to determine whether they should have an elected regional assembly. They will decide. That is democracy.
Mr. Andrew Rosindell (Romford): In the same spirit of democracy and choice, will the Minister announce a postal ballot for the people of London so that we can choose to get rid of the monstrous bureaucracy of the Greater London Assembly?
Mr. Raynsford: I do understand that the hon. Gentleman has only been here a little while, so he will perhaps not be fully aware that the people of London expressed a view in a referendum less than six years ago in favour of a Greater London Authority. When the party that he supports was in government and it abolished the Greater London council, the people of London were given no choice. That is the difference between the parties: we give the people a choice.
Rural Housing
6. Tony Cunningham (Workington): If he will make a statement on the results of his visit to Workington to examine rural housing issues. [133438]
The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. John Prescott): I had a very productive visit to my hon. Friend's constituency of Workington, including discussions with key partners on the delivery of sustainable communities in Cumbria. I am committed to increasing the supply of affordable houses in rural areas. That is why we have increased the Housing Corporation's rural target to provide a total of 3,500 affordable homes over the next two years,
restricted the right to buy in rural areas, given councils the power to reduce council tax discounts on holiday homes, and given rural communities a voice on the new regional housing and planning boards.
Tony Cunningham : I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. His visits to my constituency are always greatly appreciated. Does he agree, however, that even if we find available land in rural areas and provide the financial packages to build houses, without greater flexibility in the planning system, we will never build the homes that people so desperately need?
The Deputy Prime Minister: As my hon. Friend knows, I am extremely concerned about the restrictions on planning permission for land for affordable housing, which is why I was pleased when I visited the area in February to agree with the Cumbrian strategic partnership that it would set up a review of the impact on economic sustainability of the lack of affordable homes. It will look at the problems of barriers, whether legislative, planning or financial, and its report will be published at the end of the year, giving us a greater understanding of what more we need to do to provide affordable homes.
David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden): Despite the Deputy Prime Minister's opening remarks, I shall resist the strong temptation to ask him about ministerial second homes, either in the lake district or elsewhere. In the context of rural housing, does he agree with the following quotation:
- "There is no doubt that the homelessness problem has been increased by the shortage of affordable rented housing . . . Labour's approach will be founded on the basic aim of ensuring that everyone has the chance to a decent home—both the majority who want to own their own homes and the minority who cannot afford to buy or choose to rent"?
The Deputy Prime Minister: Yes.
David Davis: I am glad that the right hon. Gentleman does so, because that quotation about the shortage of affordable rented housing was from the Prime Minister, his boss. Why is it, therefore, that under his Labour Government the construction of social housing in English rural authorities has halved?
The Deputy Prime Minister: I believe that the right hon. Gentleman has said that before, but it is just not true. The amount of social housing has yet to be determined following the recommendations from the regional boards on housing. I do not know where the right hon. Gentleman got his figure from, but it is not true. Like his first question, it is not accurate.
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