Allotments (Hansard, 8 July 2003)

§ Huw Irranca-Davies
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the review of(a) the temporary status of allotments and (b) the 30 year limit relating to allotments. [123833]

§ Keith Hill
These issues were examined by research commissioned by the then Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Local Government Association in 2000, and guidance is provided in the final report "Growing in the community: a good practice guide for the management of allotments". It advises that temporary allotment sites of more than 30-years-old could be re-designated to statutory status on a voluntary basis, however, such sites will not automatically be converted to statutory status.

§ Mr. Ben Chapman
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his Department is doing to promote the wider use and provision of allotments. [124120]
750W

§ Keith Hill
The Government's objectives on public spaces are set out in "Living Places: Cleaner, Safer, Greener" (October 2002). The document contains our proposals for improving the quality of urban green spaces including allotments. Revised planning policy guidance note 17: Open Space, Recreation and Sport (June 2002) provides a more strategic framework for planning for green spaces.
In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has published "Growing in the community: a good practice guide for the management of allotments (2001)", and "Allotments: a plot holders' guide (2002)" to provide advice to allotment authorities and current and potential allotment plot holders.

§ Mr. Ben Chapman
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment his Department has made of the age range of those who occupy allotment plots. [124122]

§ Keith Hill
No specific assessment has been made of the age range of plot holders.

§ Mr. Ben Chapman
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many allotment plots there were in each year since 1973; [124123]
(2) what statistics he collates on usage of allotment sites. [124121]

§ Keith Hill
The "English Allotments Survey 1997", commissioned by the former Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, provides estimates of the numbers of allotment plots in England for four specific years. The survey estimates that in 1970, there were 532,964 plots; in 1977, 497,793 plots; in 1978, 479,301 plots; and in 1996, 296,923 plots. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently announced plans to commission a full update of the English Allotments Survey this year. Disposal of statutory allotments are also administered and monitored by the Government Offices for the regions.