§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bedford on 20 July, by how much the differential between heavy fuel oil prices in the United Kingdom and gas prices to Dutch horticulturists has been reduced; and what is the present differential.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe present differential is about 21p per gallon assessed on thermal equivalence between heavy fuel oil and gas. This is a net reduction of about 1p from the position prior to the increase in gas prices to Dutch horticulturists from 1 July 1981, the adaptation aid I announced on 30 April and the subsequent increase in United Kingdom heavy fuel oil prices.