New government documents reveal Conservatives u-turn on fracking, says Labour
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The document, a government response to a consultation on loosening
fracking regulations, reaffirms the government’s commitment to a
“faster” process for reviewing fracking applications and will
reinforce fears of local campaigners and environmental groups that
the Tories intend to continue the practice after the election
campaign finishes. Released on November 4th, only two days
after the government announced it would introduce a moratorium
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The document, a government response to a consultation on
loosening fracking regulations, reaffirms the government’s
commitment to a “faster” process for reviewing fracking
applications and will reinforce fears of local campaigners and
environmental groups that the Tories intend to continue the
practice after the election campaign finishes.
Released on November 4th, only two days after the
government announced it would introduce a moratorium (a
temporary prohibition) on fracking, the document also hints at
future changes to the law that would allow frackers to “drill
at will”.
It says that proposals to give frackers “Permitted
Development Rights” - which would allow drilling to take place
without planning permission – have “considerable merit” and may
be adopted in future, while conceding that they cannot be
brought forward immediately due to public opposition.
Permitted Development Rights have previously been
described by green and community groups as “drill at will”
powers, which would make fracking “as easy as building a
conservatory.”
The document’s pro-fracking language echoes that of
Energy Secretary Andrea Leadsom, who last week described
fracking as a “huge opportunity” and the announced moratorium
as a “disappointment”.
The government has already received heavy criticism for
downgrading its proposed ban to a “moratorium”, and then again
to a “temporary pause”. These documents downgrade the
commitment further to a “presumption” which will not preclude
the government from considering or giving the green light to
new fracking applications.
The Tory manifesto is being written by a lobbyist who
works for fracking firms, raising further concerns about the
close relationship between the industry and government. Last
year Tory minister Claire Perry was forced to apologise
following revelations that she had held a secret meeting with
fracking firms including Cuadrilla.
Commenting on the u-turn, Shadow Secretary for
BEIS, Rebecca Long Bailey
said:
“You can’t trust a word the Tories say on fracking. In
just over a week their policy has evolved from a “ban” to a
“temporary pause” and now, seemingly, an extreme
“frack-at-will” policy imported from Trump’s USA.
“Communities have fought back hard against the Tories'
efforts to force through dangerous fracking in their backyards.
After years of the Tories cooking the evidence and ignoring
court rulings on fracking, they won’t be taken in by a phoney
ban.
“A Labour government will ban on fracking.”
Ends
Notes to editors
The new document
· On Monday 4th November, the
government published a document responding to a consultation on
whether shale gas exploration development should be granted a
“permitted development right”
Government response to the permitted development for
shale gas exploration consultation, 4 November 2019
· The consultation response
downgrades the government’s position on fracking, previously
described as a “ban” or “moratorium”, to a “presumption against
issuing any further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents”, and notes
that “future applications will be considered on their own
merits by the Secretary of State in accordance with the
law.”
“It should be noted that the Government has made clear in
a separate Written Statement that on the basis of the current
scientific evidence, and in the absence of compelling new
evidence, it has taken a presumption against issuing any
further Hydraulic Fracturing Consents. While future
applications will be considered on their own merits by the
Secretary of State in accordance with the law, the shale gas
industry should take the Government’s position into account
when considering new developments.”
Government response to the permitted development for
shale gas exploration consultation, 4 November 2019
· The document states that the
government sees “considerable merit in taking forward these
proposals”, which would allow shale gas exploration to go ahead
without planning consent.
“It is our view that […] there could be considerable
merit in taking forward these proposals in the future…”
Government response to the permitted development for
shale gas exploration consultation, 4 November 2019
· Green groups have previously
described permitted development rights as allowing fracking
companies to “drill at will”, making the practice “as easy as
building a garden wall or conservatory.”
“Shale gas explorers will be able to drill test sites in
England without applying for planning permission and fracking
sites could be classed as nationally significant
infrastructure, meaning approval would come at a national
rather than local level. […]
Greenpeace said the government had turned a deaf ear to
communities and councils, and would make “exploratory drilling
as easy as building a garden wall or conservatory””.
The Guardian, 17 May 2018
“The government seems intent on giving the failing
fracking industry an unfair advantage over local people.
It wants to change the rules so that fracking companies
can drill at will – without the need to apply for planning
permission.”
Friends of the Earth
· The consultation response
acknowledges that bringing the proposals forward would not be
popular, and that as such they will not be taken forward “at
this time”.
“The consultation has also identified that there is
little consensus on what the measures would look like or the
degree to which they would be worthwhile currently. As such,
the Government has decided not to take forward the proposals
for any changes to permitted development rights for
non-hydraulic fracturing shale gas exploratory development at
this time.”
Government response to the permitted development for
shale gas exploration consultation, 4 November 2019
Previous commitments to a “ban”
· The Tories announced on November
2nd that they would “ban fracking”, but this was downgraded to
a “temporary pause” within hours, with their own Energy
Secretary saying that fracking remains a “huge opportunity”
that the UK will rely on for decades to come.
“Andrea Leadsom has said that the UK fracking ban is only
temporary until technology improves, as parties on all sides
wade into the debate. […]
Pressed on why a permanent ban is not being imposed, she
replied: 'Because this is a huge opportunity for the United
Kingdom.”
MailOnline, 2 November 2019
· Jeremy Corbyn has accused the supposed
“ban” on fracking an “election stunt” and “a bit of a
greenwash”.
“Jeremy Corbyn, however, accused the government of an
“election stunt”, telling reporters during a campaigning rally
on Saturday: “I think it sounds like fracking would come back
on 13 December, if they were elected back into office.
“It seems to me like an election stunt and I think it’s
what’s called euphemistically a bit of a greenwash.”
The Independent, 2 November 2019
· The announced “pause” on fracking
only applies to the north of England, and does not cover the
south. The Tories have been accused of listening to local
opposition “in seats it is targeting in the north of England”
while ignoring “similar opposition to unconventional extraction
in its southern strongholds”.
“With a general election underway, Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister,
recently announced that fracking has been halted in the UK –
but a closer look at this moratorium covers reveals a loophole.
The suspension applies in the north of England, but the
smallprint reveals that similar fossil fuel exploration in many
traditionally safe Conservative constituencies in south-east
England will be just as open for business as before.
“Deliberately or not, the current party of government’s
“ban” on fracking hears local opposition in seats it is
targeting in the north of England, but ignores similar
opposition to unconventional extraction in its southern
strongholds. Whether this will help the government to remain in
their position come election day remains to be seen.”
The Conversation, 8 November 2019
· The day after the “ban” was
announced, scientists condemned the Tories for wasting
“millions of taxpayers’ cash” on fracking.
“Ministers have been condemned for wasting millions of
pounds of taxpayers’ money in a failed attempt to introduce
fracking to the UK. The bid also cost the nation a decade of
effort that should have been expended on other, more
environmentally friendly energy projects, scientists and
activists claimed yesterday.”
The Guardian, 3 November 2019
· The government’s own figures show
that only 12 per cent of people support drilling for shale
gas.
“Just 12 per cent of people support drilling for shale
gas, according to a survey by the department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).”
The Independent, 10 May 2019
Tory links to frackers
· A fracking lobbyist has been hired
to draw up the Tory manifesto, stoking fears about the close
relationship between the Conservative party and the fracking
industry.
“The Conservatives’ election manifesto is being written
by a lobbyist for the fracking company Cuadrilla and major
internet companies such as Amazon and Facebook, raising
concerns about whether her paying clients could influence the
party’s policies.”
The Guardian, 30 October 2019
· Tory energy minister Claire Perry was criticised last year for
failing to declare a private meeting with companies including
Cuadrilla, Ineos and BP. She has since been appointed COP26
president by Boris Johnson.
“Perry and officials met with all the key shale players –
Cuadrilla, Ineos, iGas and Third Energy – along with oil and
gas companies including BP on 21 May. While her meeting with
wind power executives on the same day was recorded on an
official transparency register, the shale event was
not.”
The Guardian, 26 October 2018
“Claire Perry has been appointed COP26 President, as
Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved swiftly to start
preparations for next year's critical UN climate
summit.”
BusinessGreen, 24 July 2019
https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3079526/clark-and-perry-depart-beis-in-major-cabinet-reshuffle
· Community groups have also
attacked the government for “avoiding scrutiny” from Parliament
over fracking decisions.
“Theresa May’s government has been accused of “trampling
over democracy” by approving fracking at a second well near
Blackpool while MPs are away from parliament and can’t
challenge the decision.
Energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry announced that Cuadrilla
will be allowed to frack a second well at its Preston New Road
site six days after parliament went into recess for the party
conference season.
Ms Perry had approved fracking at the first well in July,
on the last day of parliament before the summer recess.”
The Independent, 19 September 2018
“Pam Foster of Frack Free Lancashire said the timing of
the announcement was symptomatic of the way the government
operates over fracking, which is formally known as hydraulic
fracturing.
She told The Independent: “They know it’s totally
unpopular; they know some of their own MPs are against it, so
they sneak this through in an underhand manner.
“They seek to avoid scrutiny at every twist and turn. The
government has just been giving Cuadrilla whatever it wants,
while we have been given redacted reports and reports that have
been sat on for years.””
The Independent, 19 September 2018
· The government’s fracking
guidelines were ruled unlawful by the high court earlier this
year, with the court finding that the government failed to
consider scientific evidence against fracking.
“The government’s attempts to make fracking easier have
received a setback after the high court ruled key aspects of
its national planning policy to be unlawful.
In a case brought by anti-fracking campaigners, the court
found that it was material to consider scientific evidence,
including the effects on climate change, in deciding policy on
fracking, and the government had failed to do so.”
The Guardian, 6 March 2019
Record of Tory support for fracking
· Creating a US-style fracking
industry in the UK has been a long-term goal of successive Tory
governments. In a 2013 article for the Telegraph then Prime
Minister David Cameron called for the exploitation
of the UK’s shale gas reserves, and in the following year he
argued that we have a “duty” to frack.
“We’re not turning our back on low carbon energy, but
these sources aren’t enough. We need a mix. Latest estimates
suggest that there’s about 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale
gas lying underneath Britain at the moment – and that study
only covers 11 counties. To put that in context, even if we
extract just a tenth of that figure, that is still the
equivalent of 51 years’ gas supply.”
The Telegraph, 11 August 2013
“David Cameron says Britain has a “duty” to frack in the
wake of the Ukraine crisis and pledges to have shale gas wells
“up and running” in the UK by the end of this year.”
The Telegraph, 26 March 2014
· Theresa May maintained the government’s
support for fracking, calling it an “important potential new
source of energy”. Her Business Secretary Greg Clark has criticised the pace of
fracking as “disappointingly slow”, while Energy Minister
Claire Perry has caricatured critics as
having an “anti-gas view”.
“This is an issue on which the hon. Gentleman and I are
simply going to disagree. I think that shale gas has the
potential to power economic growth in this country and to
support thousands of jobs in the oil and gas industries and in
other sectors. It will provide a new domestic energy source. We
have more than 50 years’ drilling experience in the UK, and one
of the best records in the world for economic development while
protecting our environment. The shale wealth fund is going to
provide up to £1 billion of additional resources to local
communities, and local councils are going to be able to retain
100% of the business rates they collect from shale gas
developments. We will be bringing forward further proposals in
relation to this during this Parliament. This is an important
potential new source of energy, and it is right that we should
use it and take the benefits from it for our economy, for jobs
and for people’s futures.”
Hansard, 25 October 2017
“Business Secretary Greg Clark has attacked the current
[fracking] planning process as “disappointingly slow”.”
Energy Voice, 22 May 2018
“”There is an anti-gas view out there,” she told
delegates, “and a view that we can go straight to an entirely
renewable system”.”
Utility Week, 6 February 2019
· Boris Johnson himself has called fracking
“glorious news for humanity”.
“In December 2012, he said: “It is glorious news for
humanity. It doesn’t need the subsidy of wind power. I don’t
know whether it will work in Britain, but we should get
fracking right away.”
A year later, he wrote: “We must stop pussy-footing
around, and get fracking. Even if we have hundreds of fracking
pads, they are nothing like as ugly as windmills, and they can
be dismantled as soon as the gas is extracted.””
The Mirror, 2 November 2019
· Earlier this year, analysis by
Labour found that if UK fracking reserves were “fully
exploited” as the Tories have called for”, the carbon impact
would be equivalent to the lifetime emissions of nearly 300
million cars and obliterate the UK’s commitments under the
Paris Agreement.
“The government’s fracking proposals would release the
same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as almost 300 million
new cars, fatally undermining ministers’ obligation to tackle
the escalating climate crisis, according to new
research.”
The Independent, 10 May 2019
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