asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction among allotment holders as to the legal position of land which has been purchased by local authorities for allotments; and whether he will be prepared to introduce a short Bill amending the law to provide that local authorities should not be entitled to sell or dispose of land that has been purchased for use as allotments until the matter has been determined by the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Health after a public inquiry, at which all parties interested shall be entitled to be represented and heard, and further, that, in the event of it being decided that such land be sold, the tenants of the allotments should be compensated for disturbance, and an equivalent area of land on a permanent basis should be provided?

This matter has been discussed on two occasions by the Allotments Advisory Committee, which includes the hon. Member and representatives of local authorities and allotment holders. At the Committee's meeting on the 21st instant, the allotment holders' representatives agreed to the matter being postponed until the next meeting of the Committee, with a view to the adoption of an agreed recommendation to the Ministry. My right hon. Friend proposes to await a recommendation from the Advisory Committee before considering the question of introducing legislation.