New clause 5 - Removal of unauthorised encampments and waste
Anti-social Behaviour Bill
3:00 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
As my hon. Friend knows, I agree with everything he says, especially his last point. Does he agree that when the Government review the issue—the Minister helpfully said that he was taking all our points into account—they need to understand that if all the laws that could be used against travellers were enforced, and proper financial penalties were levied on them, they might not then be in a financial position to benefit from the black economy? Thus they could not use the tactic they have used in my constituency: using their ill-gotten gains from the black economy to buy sites. Would not it be a way to ensure that the mess was cleared up if they had to pay for it? It would also prevent them from buying sites.