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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Block on fracking in Scotland announced by minister | Block on fracking in Scotland announced by minister |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Scottish government has announced a block on planned fracking operations, pending further inquiries. | The Scottish government has announced a block on planned fracking operations, pending further inquiries. |
| Ministers will carry out new work on the environmental and health implications of the controversial gas drilling technique. | |
| Full control over fracking is due to be devolved to Scotland after May's general election. | |
| In the meantime, consent for unconventional oil and gas developments will be rejected on planning grounds. | |
| Scottish Labour called for stricter rules, but the Conservatives warned a bar on fracking could jeopardise jobs. | |
| In the US, Extensive use of fracking, the process of extracting gas from rock, has revolutionised the energy industry. | In the US, Extensive use of fracking, the process of extracting gas from rock, has revolutionised the energy industry. |
| But opponents of the technique claim it causes earthquakes, can pollute water supplies, and could lead to inappropriate development in the countryside. | But opponents of the technique claim it causes earthquakes, can pollute water supplies, and could lead to inappropriate development in the countryside. |
| Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said Holyrood ministers had taken a "cautious" approach to fracking, adding that the UK government had sought to develop it "quickly, at any cost". | |
| He said a public consultation on the issue would be carried out, along with work to assess the public health impact of fracking. | |
| Further work on planning and environmental regulation surrounding the process will also be undertaken. | |
| What is fracking and why is it controversial? | |
| Find out more.... | |
| Mr Ewing told the Scottish Parliament that would all "take time", adding: "Given the importance of this work, it would be inappropriate to allow any planning consents in the meantime. | |
| "I'm therefore announcing today a moratorium on the granting of planning consents for all unconventional oil and gas developments, including fracking." | |
| Labour's Lewis Macdonald said his party had outlined a list of conditions in the UK parliament which would need to be met before fracking could take place, many of which fell under Scotland's responsibility. | |
| "The Scottish government needs to do much more is it is to meet public concern about this issue," Mr Macdonald said. | |
| Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said the SNP government was more interested in "political posturing" than making decisions based on scientific evidence. | |
| He told MSPs: "The Scottish government would rather play politics than take decisions in the best interests of the Scottish economy." |