.htaccess and Gallery Help

Non tech person here..... so keep it simple..
Gallery has always worked, and still does but I get the error shown on the first page of the config page:-
<--- snip --->
Apache is not obeying the 'php_value' lines in your .htaccess file. Try
entering the following into your web server's httpd.conf file:
<Directory /home/furballuk/public_html/gallerytest>
AllowOverride Options FileInfo
</Directory>If you are running PHP in CGI mode, this message is unavoidable
<--- snip --->

So I emailed where I host my site as I started to try another php program and was restricted again with the .htaccess file...

From their tech support I received a reply...
<--- snip --->
.....however I can confirm that some PHP commands and commands within the .htaccess files can be disabled on our servers for security reasons.

Could you please confirm exactly what the .htaccess is over-riding and of why you need to do this? Could this command be implemented in a way of your php.ini file on the account so I can enquire further with our engineers for you?
<--- snip --->

So I am wondering if somebody could give me a reply I could post back to them to see if they will reconfig whatever it is they have to reconfig.

Thanks in advance...