asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will publish a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT showing at the latest convenient date the estimated number of gypsies and similar travellers in each county in England and Wales, the number of camp sites in existence and planned for these people in each county, and the total estimated number of travellers in England and Wales who have moved into council houses since records of these people have been kept;(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that counties with a substantial population of gypsies and similar travellers take steps to provide camp sites for them, so that they do not move to other more helpful counties and become a burden on the ratepayers in counties to which they are strangers; and what plans he has for the future financing of all such camp sites from national resources.

I am at present discussing this problem with the Local Authority Associations and intend shortly to issue a circular which will provide most of the information for which the hon. Member asks.