Ministers mull gypsy rules

MINISTERS in Scotland are considering a new national code of conduct governing gypsies amid continued controversy surrounding problem travellers. The Sunday Express has learned the Scottish Government is to examine drafting a charter that could lay down guidelines on aggressive behaviour and litter, to ensure greater respect for private landowners. It comes following a campaign by a woman whose elderly mother was besieged by gypsies last year and as taxpayers continue to shell out £1million a year for councils to build new sites for travellers. Phyllis McBain complained after Aberdeenshire Council and Grampian Police refused to move gypsies from 78-year-old Mary McBain’s land, near Stonehaven, with the eventual clean-up costing £5,000.Now the Scottish Government has admitted that a code of conduct “would be both useful and helpful”. Ms McBain, 48, said her suggested charter would give advice on how to behave, who to contact and what legal steps to take if travellers pitch up on private land. However, some backbench MSPs have called for ministers to go even further. The SNP’s Dunfermline MSP, Bill Walker, described the current situation as “a mess” and called for “firm law”. He said: “Local authorities think that because there are only guidelines they can do their own thing.”Conservative North East MSP Alex Johnstone said that the invasion of Mrs McBain’s property had been “quite horrifying”. He added: “It involved property in the Stonehaven area being under siege for a considerable period.” The Scottish Government admits that unauthorised gypsy camps are inevitable because there are not enough council-run sites. According to the latest figures, Scotland has 478 pitches for around 684 travelling households. There are plans to build new sites but they are being stalled by objections from landowners and neighbours. Ms McBain said that if travellers could prove they were responsible visitors, more private sites would become available. She calls for “standards of conduct for both communities, encouraging individual responsibility and hopefully curtailing complaint for complaint’s sake”. She added: “The Scottish Government has got to take responsibility for setting minimum standards. We all accept restrictions as part of life, and placing restrictions on what somebody can and cannot do is not necessarily a breach of their human rights. Travellers do have a role to play in this. If they wish to travel, they have the responsibility to build up a relationship with landowners who will allow them to stay with consent. “The charter would not be an inflammatory document. It would give people the confidence to deal with travellers in a more appropriate way.” Her petition to overhaul the eviction guidelines was discussed by MSPs at Holyrood recently. A spokesman for the Scottish Government said that officials aim to update the guidance on illegal gypsy camps this year. He added: “The Scottish Government fully recognises that unauthorised camping is a challenging and sensitive issue.”