---

Housing and Regeneration Bill

I support the spirit of the amendment proposed by the noble Baroness, but urge my noble friend to resist the idea that the Homes and Communities Agency would have this responsibility, for two reasons. I think that the noble Baroness has absolutely nailed the problem, which is that local authorities are not satisfactorily carrying out their duties in terms of making allotments available. I echo everything the noble Baroness said about the value and benefits of allotments. However, I really do not think that it is reasonable that the Homes and Communities Agency should be put on a hook and local authorities left off the hook, as provision is their responsibility. It is reasonable and entirely right that the Homes and Communities Agency, as is good practice in good planning for urban regeneration, ordinarily thinks about allotments as part of new urban developments. I expect that organisation to carry on doing that, but it should not have this duty put in the Bill. I am sorry not to be able to support the provision, but we are letting local authorities completely off the hook if we do.