Petitioner: Shamus McPhee on behalf of Scottish Gypsy Traveller Law Reform Coalition
Status:
Closed
Date Lodged:
11 June 2010
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to investigate the inequalities and discrimination faced by Scottish Gypsy Travellers and other members of the settled community residing in mobile homes in terms of assessing council tax liability and water and water and sewerage charges.
Summary:
29 June 2010: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, Scottish Human Rights Commission, Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland, Central Scotland Racial Equality Group, a selection of local authorities (Perth and Kinross and Highland) and Shelter Scotland seeking responses to points raised in the petition and during the discussion. Link to Official Report 29 June 2010
5 October 2010: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and Scottish Water seeking a response to specific points. Link to Official Report 5 October 2010
23 November 2010: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government and the Equality and Human Rights Commission seeking a response to specific points. Link to Official Report 23 November 2010
8 February 2011: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government seeking a response to specific points. Link to Official Report 8 February 2011
8 March 2011: The Committee agreed to invite, in its legacy paper, the Session 4 Public Petitions Committee to give further consideration to the petition. The Committee further agreed to bring the latest submission from the Equality & Human Rights Commission to the attention of the Scottish Government with the recommendation that it extends an invitation to the Commission to be actively involved in the forthcoming review of the guidance on Gypsy/Traveller sites management. Link to Official Report 8 March 2011
20 September 2011: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government seeking a response to specific points. Link to Official Report of 20 September 2011 (501KB pdf)
29 November 2011: The Committee agreed to close the petition under Rule 15.7 on the grounds that the Scottish Government does not consider there to be any inequality between the Gypsy/Traveller and settled communities in assessing dwellings for council tax purposes. The setting and collection of council tax is governed by the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (and associated regulations) and under the 1992 Act, both the Gypsy/Traveller and settled communities carry the same responsibilities in respect of council tax charges. Link to Official Report 29 November 2011
Written Submissions:
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