ROLE OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
110. We were disappointed to be told by the Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State that allotments are essentially a local
issue.[180]
We believe that the provision of allotments is a national issue.
While the particular rate of provision should be decided locally,
it is important for Government to recognise its own role in promoting
allotments.
111. We agree with the Minister that it is the Government's
role to "encourage, evangelise, but not compel"[181]
people to take up allotment gardening. However, we received very
little evidence of the Government encouraging or evangelising.
112. Central Government must provide the overall
policy guidance and a framework within which local policy operates.
We recommend that the Government makes clear the role it sees
for allotments in the future and sets about offering improved
guidance and greater encouragement to local government.
113. We recommend that the Government should collate
the information on allotment provision held at local authority
level and use this to develop and maintain a database on allotment
provision. In this way, the overall national trend in provision
can be determined and the effectiveness of measures to encourage
continued allotment provision can be assessed.
180 Q223 and Q246 Back
181
Q260 Back
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