Shale Gas Exploration: Planning Permission

Greg Knight Excerpts
Wednesday 12th September 2018

(5 years, 7 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Lee Rowley Portrait Lee Rowley
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I will give way to my right hon. Friend the Member for East Yorkshire (Sir Greg Knight).

Greg Knight Portrait Sir Greg Knight
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I congratulate my hon. Friend on bringing this debate. The Government talk a lot about localism. Does he agree with me that, if that means anything and is not just meaningless waffle, it should mean that decisions taken by local planning committees should be the final say on the subject of extracting shale gas, and that those decisions should not be subject to being overturned by some faceless inspector who does not have to live with the consequences of his or her decision?

George Howarth Portrait Mr George Howarth (in the Chair)
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Before the hon. Member for North East Derbyshire continues his speech, it is right and proper that the Minister has 15 minutes to respond. The hon. Gentleman indicated he was willing to take interventions, but I should warn him that they need to be very limited in number, or he will have no speech of his own left.