Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 23 January 2007.
John Baron
Shadow Minister (Health)
2:30,
23 January 2007
What recent assessment she has made of the Traveller situation in Dale Farm, Crays Hill.
Meg Munn
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government) (Women and Equality)
The Secretary of State is considering a number of planning appeals in relation to Dale Farm. As this case is under active consideration, and for reasons of procedural propriety, it is not possible to comment on its details. A decision is expected by
John Baron
Shadow Minister (Health)
I thank the Minister for that answer, but she will be aware of recently published research by the Echo newspaper that casts doubt on claims by Travellers at Dale Farm that they have nowhere else to go, should the pending inquiry decision go against them. On Thursday, representatives from the settled community will visit Parliament to press for this research to be considered before the Government's decision, and for a Government-led inquiry into the issue in general. In the interests of fairness, will the Minister consider meeting this delegation, as we know that the Department has had contact with Travellers from Crays Hill?
Meg Munn
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government) (Women and Equality)
There have been no meetings between the Department's Ministers and Travellers concerning this application. For reasons of propriety, it is not appropriate for Ministers to meet any of the parties while this matter is under consideration, as the hon. Gentleman well knows. So this is not a question of Ministers not wanting to take the full range of issues into consideration; this is a procedural point, and he serves his constituents ill by suggesting that we can do otherwise.
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Order. This is a very narrow question that relates only to Travellers from Dale Farm, Crays Hill. We must move on.
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