Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the average time taken to process a shale gas exploration application was in each of the last three years.

Mineral Planning Authority decisions to grant or refuse planning permission for shale gas exploration proposals in England over the last three years have taken between 17 and 83 weeks, from the date of validation of that application to the date the decision was issued.