Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the value of allotments to local communities.

We recognise the significance of allotments and the valuable contribution they make to the health, wellbeing, and spirit of communities.

Local Authorities have a duty to provide allotments if there is sufficient demand, and we believe they are best placed to assess the needs of their areas. Therefore, there is currently no national assessment of the value of allotments to local communities.

However, we are seeking to improve allotment provision through the Government’s Green Flag Award scheme. Under this scheme, allotments (if entered as a community garden) can be awarded Green Flag accreditation if they meet the highest quality standards. Recent updates to the Green Flag Award contract, managed by the MHCLG, have included a criterion for ‘community involvement’, which evaluates the value of green spaces to their local communities.