FUTURE OF ALLOTMENTS

That this House welcomes the strong support for allotments made by the Prime Minister during Prime Minister's Questions on 4 May 2011; acknowledges with approval his endorsement of the valuable role which allotments play in the life of the country, both in terms of leisure and growing produce; notes that there are currently around 300,000 allotment plots in England but recognises that there is a serious shortage with an estimated 100,000 people on waiting lists; congratulates the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners and the grow-your-own community organisation Landshare for raising the profile of allotments and highlighting possible threats to the future of this distinctive English way of life, and also praises The Independent on Sunday newspaper for its Dig for Victory campaign on behalf of allotment holders; and urges the Government to uphold the Smallholdings and Allotment Act 1908 which requires local authorities in England and Wales to provide sufficient plots for residents.