1-14 of 14 results for subject:Fracking
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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a levy on shale gas companies to fund the cost of policing at shale gas sites.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a levy on shale gas companies to fund the cost of policing at shale gas sites.
The Home Office has provided funding to Lancashire and North Yorkshire Police through the Special Grant Process to reimburse the police for the additional costs of fracking protests. Policing costs as a result of protests against fracking have reduced as fracking operations at the key Cuadrilla site at Preston New Road have ceased since October 2019.
What steps he is taking to ensure that planning policies on fracking provide for the safety of people and communities.
What steps he is taking to ensure that planning policies on fracking provide for the safety of people and communities.
National planning policy makes it clear that, in considering planning applications, mineral planning authorities should ensure there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the environment or on human health.
National planning policy makes it clear that, in considering planning applications, mineral planning authorities should ensure there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the environment or on human health.
National planning policy makes it clear that, in considering planning applications, mineral planning authorities should ensure there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the environment or on human health.
What steps he is taking to ensure that planning policies on fracking provide for the safety of people and communities.
As the hon. Lady will know, we have consulted on these permitted development rights. I am hopeful, once consideration by colleagues at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has finished, that we will be able to issue our response to that consultation. I would, however, point out to her that our ability to access gas allows us to stop burning coal. This country has just been through its longest period of not burning coal, by far the dirtiest of fuels, since the industrial revolution.
As the hon. Lady will know, we have consulted on these permitted development rights. I am hopeful, once consideration by colleagues at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has finished, that we will be able to issue our response to that consultation. I would, however, point out to her that our ability to access gas allows us to stop burning coal. This country has just been through its longest period of not burning coal, by far the dirtiest of fuels, since the industrial revolution.
Fifty seven earthquakes of up to 1.5 magnitude were detected in Lancashire last year in the two months when Cuadrilla was fracking at Preston New Road. Will the Minister commit to listening to communities such as mine in Lancashire and act in their interests to prevent permitted development rights being granted for shale gas exploration?
My hon. Friend has been a persistent advocate for his constituents on this issue. As he knows, alongside the consultation on permitted development rights for exploration, we also consulted on pre-application consultation steps that may have to be taken should an application proceed. Both of those matters are under consideration by colleagues, and I hope we will be able to issue a response to them shortly.
My hon. Friend has been a persistent advocate for his constituents on this issue. As he knows, alongside the consultation on permitted development rights for exploration, we also consulted on pre-application consultation steps that may have to be taken should an application proceed. Both of those matters are under consideration by colleagues, and I hope we will be able to issue a response to them shortly.
I hope there will not be any changes that make it easier for fracking to be permitted through the planning system. Like many of my constituents, I am deeply concerned about some of the associated impacts on the environment that come with fracking. Can the Minister assure my constituents that an industrialisation of our countryside, which is what fracking is, will be treated in the same way in the planning system as any other industrial development in open countryside would be?
The Chairman of the Select Committee is quite right to point out the timescale on which these measures have been under consideration, and I will certainly pass on his concerns to colleagues at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Chairman of the Select Committee is quite right to point out the timescale on which these measures have been under consideration, and I will certainly pass on his concerns to colleagues at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
I remind the Minister that the consultation he refers to closed last October. Twelve months ago, the Housing, Communities
and Local Government Committee did a report opposing permitted development rights and opposing transferring part of the fracking regime to the national infrastructure regime. Given the amount of opposition on his own side, as well as on this side of the House, and in local communities, is the Minister now considering withdrawing those proposals and instead giving greater powers to communities to decide whether they want fracking in their areas?
The hon. Lady is normally quite precise, but I should correct what she said at the start. We consulted not on fracking taking place under permitted development rights, but on exploration in advance of a full application being made for fracking. Those consultations are still under consideration by colleagues, in particular those with whom we work closely at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. I will impress upon them the House’s demands this afternoon that a response be forthcoming.
The hon. Lady is normally quite precise, but I should correct what she said at the start. We consulted not on fracking taking place under permitted development rights, but on exploration in advance of a full application being made for fracking. Those consultations are still under consideration by colleagues, in particular those with whom we work closely at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. I will impress upon them the House’s demands this afternoon that a response be forthcoming.
I will give the Minister another chance. Everyone—from the Royal Town Planning Institute to Friends of the Earth—has criticised the Government’s plans to allow fracking to take place under permitted development, rather than by achieving planning permission, not least because it bypasses the views and concerns of local communities. Given the Government’s silence on this matter since the consultation last year, will the Minister confirm today that the Government will not proceed to use permitted development for fracking and will not dilute regulations covering seismic activity—as requested by Cuadrilla, again, today—but will accept that fracking is environmentally unsound and invest more in renewable energy sources instead?
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond to the permitted development for shale gas exploration consultation which closed on 25 October 2018.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond to the permitted development for shale gas exploration consultation which closed on 25 October 2018.
The Government will provide a comprehensive response to the Select Committee’s report, and respond to the consultations on permitted development for shale gas exploration and compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development, in due course.
We are currently analysing the representations to both the consultations, and considering the Select Committee’s report and its conclusions and recommendations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond to the compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development consultation which closed on 7 January 2019.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond to the compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development consultation which closed on 7 January 2019.
The Government will provide a comprehensive response to the Select Committee’s report, and respond to the consultations on permitted development for shale gas exploration and compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development, in due course.
We are currently analysing the representations to both the consultations, and considering the Select Committee’s report and its conclusions and recommendations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s 8th report, Planning guidance on fracking, published on 5 July 2018.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to respond the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s 8th report, Planning guidance on fracking, published on 5 July 2018.
The Government will provide a comprehensive response to the Select Committee’s report, and respond to the consultations on permitted development for shale gas exploration and compulsory community pre-application consultation for shale gas development, in due course.
We are currently analysing the representations to both the consultations, and considering the Select Committee’s report and its conclusions and recommendations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure the (a) interests and (b) safety of local communities is fully considered in decisions on planning for shale gas fracking; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure the (a) interests and (b) safety of local communities is fully considered in decisions on planning for shale gas fracking; and if he will make a statement.
The Government is firmly committed to ensuring that local communities are fully involved in planning decisions that affect them. Planning applications for shale development proposals require consultation with local communities, ensuring that planning concerns about potential impacts raised by local people are taken into account in the determination of such applications.
The Government takes the safety of the public and environmental protection very seriously and are confident we have a robust regulatory framework in place. We have been clear that shale gas exploration development must be safe and environmentally sound. The UK has world-class regulation to ensure that shale gas exploration can happen safely, respecting local communities and safeguarding the environment. National planning policy makes clear that in considering planning applications, mineral planning authorities should ensure that there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment or on human health.
Motion that this House has considered use of permitted development and the nationally significant infrastructure project regime for shale gas exploration and production. Agreed to on question.
Motion that this House has considered use of permitted development and the nationally significant infrastructure project regime for shale gas exploration and production. Agreed to on question.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of planning permission breaches at the Preston New Road Shale gas site since the commencement of exploratory drilling.
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of planning permission breaches at the Preston New Road Shale gas site since the commencement of exploratory drilling.
The Department does not record centrally the number of breaches of planning control that may have occurred at any particular development site. Enforcement action against any suspected breaches of planning control is a matter for local planning authorities. Local authorities who wish to take enforcement action against breaches of planning control can bid for resources from the Department’s £1.6 million shale support funding scheme.
Motion that this House has considered local involvement in shale gas development. Agreed to on question. Sitting adjourned without Question put.
Motion that this House has considered local involvement in shale gas development. Agreed to on question. Sitting adjourned without Question put.