§ 23. Mr. Maddanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the Thorpe Report and on his proposals for the future of allotments.
§ The Minister for Local Government and Development (Mr. Graham Page)I must apologise to you, Mr. Speaker, and the House for the length of my reply.
Yes, Sir, we welcome the concept of giving allotment gardens a new look. 563 Local authorities can do much to tidy up existing sites and improve their facilities, and some local authorities are already taking action to promote schemes for leisure gardens on the lines recommended in the report.
We have concluded that the extent of allotment gardens for which provisions should be made should, in the future, be for local authorities, including parish authorities, to decide in the light of local needs. The detailed Ministerial controls over allotment authorities, which were introduced nearly 50 years ago, are not consonant with our policy of leaving local affairs to be decided by local authorities. We intend in due course to introduce legislation to remove these controls. We consider that the arrangements under which some local authorities, mainly in the rural areas, provide allotments for commercial purposes should be maintained broadly as at present.
§ Mr. MaddanI thank my hon. Friend for that reply, the details of which will require careful consideration. Will he comment on the view that many areas of allotments contain land that is going to seed, is a blight to the neighbourhood and could be better used for other purposes?
§ Mr. PageYes, I think that is so in many districts, and local authorities are looking into that at our request.
§ Mr. RostWhilst declaring an interest as having been one of Professor Harry Thorpe's students at Birmingham University, may I add my thanks to the Minister for having given this report such favourable consideration and urge him to implement it as speedily as possible?