2. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on action taken by the Welsh Government to tackle illegal traveller sites in Wales? OAQ54813

The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 makes clear that local authorities need to provide adequate authorised Gypsy and Traveller residential and transit sites. In 2013, we published guidance on managing unauthorised camping on roles, responsibilities and rights, to ensure a fair and consistent approach to dealing with unauthorised encampments.

Thank you, Minister, for that answer. In the Republic of Ireland, they've put in place measures that, obviously, assist local authorities and the enforcement agencies in moving on illegal sites. Have you given any consideration to the effectiveness of such provision here in Wales? And, secondly, very often when illegal sites do develop, there's a huge clean-up bill that local ratepayers have to pick up on. What measures have the Welsh Government taken to consider the strengthening of local powers to retrieve some of the costs back from the illegal travellers who've set up sites, and yet it's local ratepayers who end up picking up the tab for the mess?

As I said, we have published, of course, the managing unauthorised camping guidance, in 2013, and it does set out our clear expectations of how public authorities will resolve such encampments. Also, it is important that we consider the proportionality of any actions in resolving encampments, weighing the rights and obligations of all involved. I have to say that the Welsh Government supports consistent, humane and effective resolution of unauthorised camping, respecting the rights to a nomadic lifestyle of Gypsies and Travellers, and the rights of the wider community. And certainly we're very concerned—I was very concerned—about the recent consultation that was published by the UK Government. It is something where we will be responding to that consultation, urging the UK Government to think again and to adopt our approach.