§ 25. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the cost of erecting one acre of glasshouses for each year since 19 1938; and what steps he is taking to implement a policy for providing cheaper glass for horticultural purposes.
§ Mr. NugentI regret that yearly figures are not available. It is estimated that the cost of timber-framed glasshouses without heating equipment was about £2,500 an acre in 1938, and is now about £8,500. The cost of glass for horticultural purposes does not appear to have risen in the same proportion, and there seems no reason for intervention.
§ Mr. DaviesWill the Minister answer directly how much it now costs, at the present price of timber and glass? Will he look at the document, produced by his own party, entitled "All the Answers"? Is it not a fact that his party at the last Election deprecated the fact that greenhouses cost £12,000 per acre and that horticulturists were unable to enter the industry because of the terrific price of glass? What is the Minister doing to produce cheaper glass?
§ Mr. NugentThe best answer is that in 1938 there were 2,770 acres of glasshouses in the country and in 1956 there were 4,571 acres.
§ Mr. PagetWhat is happening about the development of cheap plastic substitutes? There were some promising experiments.
§ Mr. NugentI am afraid that I cannot answer that question. The hon. and learned Member should place a Question on the Order Paper to one of my right hon. Friends.