Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Direction to the Oil and Gas Authority of 30 November 2017, relating to consent for fracking operations at the KM8 well in Ryedale, what the timetable is for his consultation with the Oil and Gas Authority; and if he will publish his recommendation to the Oil and Gas Authority on the hydraulic fracturing consent conditions required under section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 when that recommendation is made.

There no set timeframe for the Department to provide its response to the Oil and Gas Authority in this instance. The Department is carefully considering the evidence provided by Third Energy and will respond appropriately in due course.