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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. | 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. | 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. | In the meantime, consent for unconventional oil and gas developments will be rejected on planning grounds. |
The announcement by Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing came a day after the boss of the Grangemouth chemical plant said the UK must embrace shale gas. | |
Tom Crotty, from Ineos, said high energy prices were damaging the industrial sector. | |
What is fracking and why is it controversial? | What is fracking and why is it controversial? |
Find out more.... | Find out more.... |
In the US, extensive use of fracking, the process of extracting gas from rock, has revolutionised the energy industry. | |
But opponents of the technique have said it causes earthquakes, pollutes water supplies, and could lead to inappropriate development in the countryside. | |
Mr Ewing said Holyrood ministers had taken a "cautious" approach to fracking, while the UK government had sought to develop it "quickly, at any cost". | |
He announced: | |
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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | "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. | Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said the SNP government was more interested in "political posturing" than making decisions based on scientific evidence. |
He added: "The Scottish government would rather play politics than take decisions in the best interests of the Scottish economy." | |
Liam McArthur, of the Liberal Democrats, said: "It's been fascinating to watch Labour and the SNP try to outdo each other in sounding sceptical about fracking, which they both support." | |
Green MSP Alison Johnstone welcomed the Scottish government's move, but added: "A moratorium is only a delay or a suspension." |