I fully understand and appreciate people’s concerns about fracking, but let me reassure you that the Government is developing a regulatory regime that provides clear, strong protections for the environment. With these in place, I think it is right to explore and make use of shale gas and oil.
The Government is also clear that local communities must remain fully involved in planning decisions for fracking, and there are no plans to exclude residents, or their councillors, from these deliberations.
