§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many glasshouses growers heated their houses by gas and how many by oil at the date of the last horticultural return; how many growers had changed from oil to gas since the previous return, and what advice the officers of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service have been giving in the last two years as to the optimum method of heating.
§ Mr. WigginThe results of the glasshouse equipment survey (England and Wales) are not analysed so as to give the comparison requested on the basis of holdings. The December 1980 survey showed that of the total area of glasshouses in England and Wales 81 per cent. was heated by oil and 6 per cent. by mains gas, compared with 88 per cent. by oil and 1 per cent. by mains gas in December 1976. The advice given by officers of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service to glasshouse growers on the optimum method of heating will depend on all relevant factors on individual holdings.