Shale Gas Exploration: Planning Permission

Kevin Hollinrake 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 hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake) and then to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr Skinner).

Kevin Hollinrake Portrait Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)
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I congratulate my hon. Friend on bringing this important debate. As he knows, I am far more positive about the prospects for shale gas exploration than he is. Nevertheless, I and the Select Committee that I sit on have raised genuine concerns about the permitted development process, the clarity around it, and whether it relates to simply drilling a hole on an existing well pad or the construction of an entire well pad, which is heavy industrial construction and could literally go anywhere in any one of our constituencies. There are real concerns and we need clarity on that specific point.

Lee Rowley Portrait Lee Rowley
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I agree completely with my hon. Friend.