To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many allotment allocations are vacant, in each constituency. (250378)

We do not have centrally held figures for the number of allotment vacancies. Local authorities are responsible for keeping figures on vacancies and we do not require them to provide central Government with these figures. The number of vacancies changes regularly in line with local demand.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sets of criteria local authorities use to determine allotment allocations. (250379)

Under section 23 of the 1908 Allotment Act, when selecting tenants for allotments, local authorities are obliged to select only people resident within their area. There is no universal classification used by local authorities to allocate allotments. Most local authorities will allocate allotment plots according to the date of first application. Preference may be given by some local authorities to persons having special needs, such as old age pensioners, disabled persons or unemployed persons, but that is the decision of the local authority.