COTTENHAM RESIDENTS, GYPSY AND TRAVELLER DECLARATION

Early day motion 1538, tabled 19 July 2004 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 32 members.

That this House welcomes the joint Declaration of the Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition and Cottenham Residents' Association; agrees that the shortage of traveller sites has had a negative impact on the social inclusion of gypsies and travellers, has caused inconvenience for the settled community and led to a deterioration in community relations; notes that this ground-breaking dialogue has been commended by the Commission for Racial Equality, Bishop Patrick O'Donaghue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Michael Evans, Bishop of East Anglia and the Right Reverend Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford; and urges the Government to strengthen this bridge-building initiative by a programme of action designed to facilitate the provision of a sufficient supply of sites so that gypsies and travellers have decent accommodation, thus eliminating honey pot and inappropriate site development and avoiding unauthorised encampments in places such as parks and other public places.

Signatures by party: Labour 23, Liberal Democrat 5, Conservative 4.