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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that fracking caused an earthquake every day that the site at Preston New Road, Lancashire, was in operation.

The Government has confirmed that it is adopting a presumption against issuing any further hydraulic fracturing consents. This position, an effective moratorium, will be maintained until compelling new evidence is provided which addresses concerns around the prediction and management of induced seismicity.