May I correct your report on what I said at the Novas seminar on the accommodation of Gypsies and Travellers.

I am in favour of the Housing Corporation funding sites, and of RSLs developing them, and I have been saying so for some years. What I said at the seminar was that, so far, no RSL other than Novas had displayed any interest in Gypsies and Travellers, but I hoped that more would now come forward.

Optimistically, 80% of Gypsies may be able to buy land and develop their own sites. If insufficient sites are provided in a local housing authority's area by the RSLs to cover the 20% who need social provision, we say that the local authority should have a long-stop duty to fill the remaining need. An amendment to the Housing Bill on these lines is supported by the Local Government Association, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the National Farmers’ Union and the Commission for Racial Equality.

Lord Eric Avebury

Source

Housing Today