Reporting of the politics at national and local level of the shale gas and fracking debate
The Energy Secretary, Amber Rudd, told MPs yesterday that shale gas developers needed to make the case for fracking to local communities. During a session of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, Mrs Rudd was asked how she would “bridge the gap” between the government’s views on shale […]
Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, has accused the government of using legislative small print to hide its policy reversal on fracking in important wildlife sites. Ms Lucas said MPs had approved the Infrastructure Bill earlier this year following a promise by Amber Rudd for the […]
The new MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk used his maiden speech to oppose fracking. Also this week: more fracking parliamentary questions from Preston’s Mark Hendrick. With thanks to TheyWorkForYou.com for the transcripts.
As MP prepare to leave parliament for the summer, the government has announced it is to ban fracking from the surface of National Parks and some other protected areas. But under new rules operators will be allowed to frack underneath these areas from outside their boundaries. Several environmental […]
Two peers have urged the government to ensure the south is not treated differently from the north over exploration for shale oil and gas.
Three Lancashire MPs – Mark Menzies, Mark Hendrick and Cat Smith – questioned ministers on key fracking issues this week. Read the transcripts of their questions, the government’s answers and other parliamentary business on: Steps to reduce seismic activity Monitoring of abandoned shale gas wells Flaring at shale […]
The Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas, today urged David Cameron not to overrule the local refusal of Cuadrilla’s fracking plans in Lancashire. Anything that prevented local communities from rejecting fracking would be “fundamentally undemocratic”, she said.
The government has finally released the full report on the impact of shale gas drilling on the rural economy – 11 months after first publishing a heavily redacted version. The full report, commissioned by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, details the negative impacts of shale […]
Less than 24 hours after councillors refused Cuadrilla’s application to frack in Lancashire, MPs called for multiple new conditions on the process. In a debate this morning, they argued for buffer zones between sites, water and waste recycling, apprenticeships, blight compensation, independent monitoring, bans on fracking in National […]
Cllr Paul Hayhurst, Independent County Councillor, Fylde West, member of development control committee Last week we were put under intense pressure which was giving us no option but to approve the application. We had further information over the weekend and we have been able to turn it down. […]
DRILL OR DROP? 