To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she plans to take on the absence of proposals from Kent county council for the provision of permanent gypsy sites. (197488)

Local authorities in Kent have prepared Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments which have been submitted to the South-East Regional Assembly for consideration as part of the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). The RSS will, in turn, inform the development of Development Plan Documents which will allocate specific sites to meet the identified need. Local planning authorities need not await the RSS to take steps to meet accommodation needs, and we expect authorities where there is clear and pressing need for accommodation to take such steps now.