MPs heard that many Gypsies were being criminalised because of lack of space.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister select committee was also told that the gypsy "cultural way of life" had never been "recognised or respected".

Government research estimates that up to 2000 additional permanent pitches and up to 2,500 transit pitches are needed by 2007.

Permission

The cross-party committee heard evidence from the Traveller Law Reform Coalition - an alliance of traveller campaign organisations.

Witnesses said that legal traveller accommodation should be given the same status as housing.

Siobhan Spencer, of the coalition, told MPs of the difficulties she had faced trying to help people get planning permission for caravan sites.

"We started trying to help people with planning applications 12 years ago and I have only ever had out of 22 one passed at committee."

'No respect'

Kay Beard, who heads the National Association for Gypsy Women of the UK, said facilities on sites needed to be improved with owners of private sites taking responsibility for cleaning communal toilets.

She added: "We feel we have to justify our very existence just because we are Gypsy people.

"We don't believe our cultural way of life has ever been recognised or respected and we feel now it's about time that it was.

"After all the Gypsy men of this country fought in two world wars for king and country."

Charles Smith - who chairs the Gypsy Council - stressed that it was important to talk about "accommodation needs" rather that "housing needs" adding "not everybody chooses to live in a house".