To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the change in the number of playing fields of an area of less than 0.4 hectares in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. (183923)

[holding answer 1 February 2008]: Information on the change in the number of playing fields of less than 0.4 hectares is not collected centrally. However, the Department for Communities and Local Government has committed to consulting this year on reducing from 0.4 hectares to 0.2 hectares the threshold at which Sport England must be consulted when a planning application for development is submitted.