“No community support for fracking” in Rother Valley says MP during Commons energy debate

Rother Valley’s MP has told Ministers that there is “no community support for fracking” in his constituency, during a debate on shale gas production.
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Last week, ministers announced that they are investigating the case for reversing a ban on fracking, as energy costs increase.

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PM Boris Johnson has ordered a new “energy supply strategy” to explore the option of using more domestic energy resources, to bring down bills and reduce the use of Russian oil and gas in the UK.

Alexander Stafford MP.Alexander Stafford MP.
Alexander Stafford MP.
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However, this strategy could mean the option to lift the UK moratorium on fracking for shale gas may be explored – something Mr Stafford spoke out vehemently against.

Speaking in the House of Commons during a debate on shale gas production, Alexander Stafford told Greg Hands, Minister for energy, clean growth and climate change that there is “no community support for fracking” in Rother Valley.

In his speech, Mr Stafford said: “In Harthill and Woodsetts where there are potential wells, nobody wants it.

“In fact, in Woodsetts, the potential fracking site is mere yards from an old people’s retirement home.

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“Can the minister confirm that this government focuses more on renewables, not on fracking, because every single minute this government spends talking about fracking is a minute not spent on renewables, is a minute engineers are not working on renewables, and we need to get that online, not fracking.”

Mr Stafford added that recent debates about fracking had led to residents contacting his office to “register their anger”.

“I have continued to speak out for our communities against fracking, and will continue to do so,” he added.

Applications for test drilling had been made for sites in Harthill and Woodsetts, with permission granted for the Harthill scheme.

The Woodsetts scheme was still under review when the government moratorium was announced in November 2019.