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

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their current policy on fracking; and whether the UK moratorium on fracking is still in place.

The Government supports the core ambitions set out in the 2019 manifesto and will therefore revert to a precautionary approach and only support shale gas exploration if it can be done in a way that is sustainable and protects local communities. The Government has confirmed that it will adopt a presumption against issuing further hydraulic fracturing consents. We will be led by the evidence on whether this form of exploration can be done in a way which acceptably manages the risk to local communities.