West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper and fellow Lancashire Labour MPs
have written to the Energy Secretary Greg Clark to call on
Government to halt fracking immediately in light of the recent
earthquakes in Lancashire. Since work got under way at the Preston
New Road site near Little Plumpton, It is now reported there have
been over 30 earthquakes recorded in the past two weeks as a result
of fracking at the site, including a 1.1 magnitude tremor on
Monday. MP Rosie tabled an Urgent Question to...Request free trial
West Lancashire MP and fellow Lancashire Labour MPs
have written to the Energy Secretary to call on Government to halt
fracking immediately in light of the recent earthquakes in
Lancashire.
Since work got under way at the Preston New Road site near
Little Plumpton, It is now reported there have been over 30
earthquakes recorded in the past two weeks as a result of fracking
at the site, including a 1.1 magnitude tremor on Monday.
MP Rosie tabled an Urgent Question to Parliament on Tuesday,
which was refused, she intended to ask:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy to make a statement on the recent earthquakes
caused by Cuadrilla’s fracking at Preston New Road in Lancashire,
which follows the Government intervention in July to overturn
Lancashire County Council’s rejection of the
application?”
After not being allowed to ask this question on the floor of
the House, Rosie proceeded to make an intervention at the
Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday afternoon, the debate titled
‘That this House has considered local involvement in shale gas
development’. This debate was secured by the Fylde MP , ironically, where the fracking
site is located.
Speaking in the debate, MP Rosie said:
“As a Lancashire MP I was horrified by the Government’s
decision to overturn Lancashire County Council’s decision to refuse
permission for fracking. It flies in the face of the Government’s
pretend localism agenda, and current attempts to meddle with the
process do not pass the sniff test. My constituents oppose it.
Perhaps the Tories should pinch another Labour policy and ban
fracking.”
Rosie has now written an open letter to the Energy Secretary,
co-signed by Lancashire Labour MPs including (Burnley), Sir (Preston), (Blackburn), (Blackpool South), (Lancaster and Fleetwood) and the
Shadow Energy Secretary .
West Lancashire MP said:
“Disappointingly, I wasn’t granted the opportunity to ask an
Urgent Question in Parliament, on a topic which I believe and most
will agree, is a very urgent matter – earthquakes in
Lancashire!
“In 2015, Lancashire County Council’s Development Control
Committee voted to reject an application from Cuadrilla to carry
out fracking at a site off Preston New Road, near Little Plumpton
in Lancashire.
“This decision was appealed by Cuadrilla, and in July, the
Government gave the go ahead for fracking to take place, claiming
to be assured by the health and safety criteria.
“I find it remarkable that despite the clear rejection of
fracking by the people of Lancashire, and the numerous warnings
that drilling would cause seismic activity, the Government decided
it would push fracking through and impose it on the residents of
Lancashire against their will with scant regard for local
residents’ concerns.
“I believe that it is now just and right for the
Government to halt fracking at this site, and to place a moratorium
on fracking until such point as they can be not just reassured, but
fully assured, that there will be no more man made earthquakes in
England or Wales as a result of fracking.
“If they cannot be assured of that, then for that reason
and so many more, this Government needs to steal another of
Labour’s Manifesto pledges and ban fracking
immediately.”
