To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money his Department has allocated to the National Gypsy Council in each year from 1979 to 1989.

The National Gypsy Council has received funding towards its administration costs from my Department's small grants and special grants programmes since 1978. The amounts of grant have been as follows:

	£
1978–79	6,300
1979–80	6,930
1980–81	7,600
1981–82	9,100
1982–83	12,000
1983–84	12,720
1984–85	13,300
1985–86	13,860
1986–87	14,300
1987–88	14,660
1988–89	14,953
1989–90	14,953

Grants under the special grants programme are given to assist voluntary organisations become established or to carry out specific projects. It is not the intention to provide permanent funding and grants are normally given for a maximum of three years. In the case of the National Gypsy Council, it was felt that their work was sufficiently valuable to warrant a longer period of support, but this is now being progressively withdrawn so that they have the stimulus to become more self-sufficient.