MPs want new rights for gypsies and travellers

MPs have urged councils to set aside land for gypsies and travellers.

The Commons committee which shadows the Office of the Deputy Prime minister says 3,500 of the UK's travelling people have no access to legal space to park their caravans.

It recommends that the government should introduce a duty on all local authorities to provide sites for gypsies and travellers.

Failure to provide land means gypsies and travelling people occupy land illegally - which leads to a backlash from local residents.

The committee also calls for the creation of a gypsy and traveller taskforce to ensure development of sites.

Disgrace

Committee chairman Andrew Bennett called the current situation "a disgrace".

"Conflict between gypsies and travellers and the settled community has steadily escalated in recent years. In a supposedly civilised society people ought to be able to tolerate each other," he said.

"The settled community often finds well-paid work for gypsies and travellers but too often refuses to find space for them to live.

"The problem will only be resolved when the government requires all local plans to have designated land for gypsies and travellers and all local authorities have a statutory duty to provide sites - and central government enforces this duty."