Mr. Shearsbyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the increases in allotment charges by local authorities, in view 120W of the Government's policy of increasing the production of food from our own resources; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe Allotments Acts require local authorities to charge reasonable rents for their allotments, subject to abatements in cases of individual hardship. My Department has encouraged local authorities to review the charges for services which they provide, and some authorities have increased allotment rents which in many areas had for long been unrealistically low. Despite these increases, the demand for allotments continues to rise.