Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments

15 Nov 2019 10:58 AM

Summary

Consultation on measures to criminalise trespassing when setting up an unauthorised encampment in England and Wales.

This consultation closes at: 11:59pm on 4 March 2020

Consultation description

We would like to consult on measures to criminalise the act of trespassing when setting up an unauthorised encampment in England and Wales.

We would also like to consult on what an alternative approach to this could be:

• amending section 62A of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to permit the police to direct trespassers to suitable authorised sites located in neighbouring local authority areas
• amending sections 61 and 62A of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to increase the period of time in which trespassers directed from land would be unable to return from 3 months to 12 months
• amending section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to lower the number of vehicles needing to be involved in an unauthorised encampment before police powers can be exercised from six to two or more vehicles
• amending section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to enable the police to remove trespassers from land that forms part of the highway

Documents

Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments: consultation document PDF, 281KB, 27 pages

Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments: consultation document (Welsh) PDF, 313KB, 27 pages

Ways to respond

Respond online

or

Email to:

UnauthorisedEncampmentsConsultation@homeoffice.gov.uk

Write to:

Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments consultation,
Police Powers Unit,
6th Floor NW, Fry Building,
Home Office,
2 Marsham Street,
London,
SW1P 4DF