Dr. Conor Norton:

We have stated before that there is no national register on which we can draw. One of the main issues is not quantitative but qualitative. We need to engage in some research. One of our recommendations is that there be more research in this area to determine the reasons. We obviously have evidence of under-expenditure, but we need to bore down into it to really find out why and it will not be that simple. There could be very good reasons for under-expenditure, but there are great inconsistencies associated with delivery and under-expenditure. The point we are making is that this is very much a short-term measure. We suggest a period of five years. If it were possible to foreshorten that period, it would be ideal. We envisage circumstances in which the local powers would be restored in the context of very robust guidance, procedures and practices associated with planning Traveller accommodation in order that there would be very consistent approaches to gathering evidence, preparing policies, identifying land and planning and design. It is a matter of having a robust planning system that is able to deal with plan-making and decision-taking related to the provision of Traveller accommodation. We have to get to that point. What we are suggesting is that temporary measures be put in place. We are suggesting a period of five years, based on our knowledge of what we regard as an outside timeline for acting on these measures, but if it could be done in a shorter timeline, that would also be ideal.