Cat Smith
Main Page: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)(8 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Andrea Leadsom
It is quite extraordinary that Opposition Members continually talk about the potential for shale gas as if it is some kind of disaster. The hon. Gentleman comes from a very honourable and long-standing mining area. Mining has a legacy that we will be dealing with for many years to come. The shale industry, on the other hand, offers the opportunity to create a new home-grown energy source that is vital for our energy security into the next decades.
Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)
When will the Secretary of State produce some legally enforceable protection against surface-level fracking in our national parks and sites of special scientific interest?
Andrea Leadsom
I hope that the hon. Lady heard my initial comment, which was that we have been able to put forward our proposal to restrict surface drilling in any of our most protected areas, not limited to national parks but including many other valuable spaces, through licensing. As things stand, we are waiting for our report in response to the industry consultation that closed on 16 December, and we will make our announcements very soon.