To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has issued to local authorities on the use of waiting lists for allotments.

Local authorities are responsible for keeping and managing waiting list for allotments.

In liaison with CLG, the Local Government Association revised a good practice guide, "Growing in the Community", in March 2008. The guide advises local authorities to reduce waiting lists for allotments by promoting vacancies across local authority boundaries. A free copy was sent to all local authorities and is now available on request from the LGA.

Planning Policy guidance 17 encourages local authorities to assess the needs of their communities for a range of open spaces, and to address deficiencies. It also suggests that authorities should allocate sites within their plans for the provision of new open spaces.

PPG17 advises local authorities to use the information gained from their assessments of needs and opportunities to set locally derived standards for the provision of open space, sports and recreation facilities in their areas. Local standards should include:

1. Quantitative elements (how much new provision may be needed).

2. A qualitative component (against which to measure the need for enhancement of existing facilities).

3. Accessibility (including distance thresholds and considering of the cost of using a facility).