Today I questioned the Energy Minister as he announced that the current moratorium on fracking will be extended indefinitely.

As a long time campaigner against fracking in my region welcome this move, however it still stops short of an outright ban. I’ve been campaigning against fracking and UCG locally since 2012 and I will continue to support any efforts to introduce a full legislative ban.

I do not believe that the potential risks to public health and the environment have been addressed and I believe that the exploitation of another fossil fuel will hamper our climate change priorities.

During his statement the Energy Minister also confirmed the need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment before the Government’s position is finalised.

I raised this issue directly with the Minister and he admitted that this may still take “many months” as they will continue to consult with the industry and key stakeholders.

I will therefore continue to press the Scottish Government to ensure this moratorium is confirmed and support all attempts to ensure a legal ban is in place to stop this process once and for all in Scotland.

You can read my question and the full statement on the Scottish Parliament website.

Edit – Since the question, I have spoken during the Scottish Government debate on fracking held the following week. You can read my speech on the Scottish Parliament website.