§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he is doing to promote energy saving projects in the tomato growing industry.
§ Mr. WigginWe are continuing to give substantial support to the glasshouse industry for energy saving projects. Grants are available under the agriculture and horticulture development scheme and the agriculture and horticulture grant scheme towards the cost of thermal screens, glasshouse insulation, including double cladding, permanent thermal insulation, vapour sealing and gas sealing, and improvements to glasshouse heating systems, including boiler conversions.
An extensive research and development programme is being undertaken with priority being given to developing techniques aimed at reducing energy requirements and, in particular, heating costs. These include ways of reducing heat losses through the application of alternative cladding materials and thermal screens, the installation of accurate environmental control equipment, the investigation of the optimum air and plant root temperatures and the further development of the use of reject heat from power stations.
Free advice is available to growers from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service of my Department.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the new financial package offered to Dutch glasshouse growers to meet fuel price increases is likely to have on the United Kingdom complaint pending before the Commission.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerWhilst the increase in Dutch gas prices is a movement towards remedying the distortion which the Commission identified, it in no way eliminates it. We shall continue to press with the utmost vigour for150W the removal of all distortion and we shall support the legal action which the Commission have started against the Dutch Government.