Ms Rebecca Keatinge:

Our annual report for last year will be published shortly. It includes a good level of detail on our cases. I will be sure to provide the committee with whatever information I can.

On the structural issues, we looked at some of the broader issues when we were analysing the responses to the equality reviews from the 31 local authorities. A number of different actions flowed from them. We were cognisant that there are a number of more micro level issues and it is appropriate to engage with local authorities through the equality action plan. We have also identified broader structural issues, which has led to the planning submission we have made. It is encouraging to hear that is informing some of the recommendations that will be made. They have the potential to deal with some of the nitty-gritty difficulties. Planning is highly technical. The submission is a technical and legal document. It refers to a number of different legal provisions that apply in different circumstances when local authority land is being developed. Within the submission, not only are there recommendations around specific planning provisions but there are also recommendations for the development plans themselves and on the wording so that there is not simply a statement regarding Traveller accommodation but objectives are set out and there are obligations to set a certain minimum number of Traveller-specific accommodation that might be delivered within a certain period.

There is a number of criteria, which are set out in that submission, that could be included and would set out statutory obligations on local authorities and allow for future planning, because that is one aspect that comes up repeatedly in terms of future family formations. It has come up in our equality action plans when we have asked local authorities to look at development of their TAPs and at the census data and how that is collated and the methodologies. There can be certain predictions in engagement with communities as to the how many Traveller families there are. If there is proper planning within a framework that is designed to enable that planning and if the data is there and informs that strategy, we can provide that choice and those options as realistic ones.