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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what research the Government has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned on fracking and subsidence in former coal mining areas.

Earlier this year the independent Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) commissioned a report from the British Geological Survey (BGS) to review the depth and location of historic coal mines in the East Midlands, which is a prospective area for shale gas development.

The OGA has commissioned a further report from the BGS which will include a review of historical seismicity which will be published in due course

These reports will inform the OGA’s consideration of any future applications for hydraulic fracturing operations in historic coal mining areas.