Scotland’s Energy Minister Fergus Ewing made an official statement on fracking. The Scottish Parliament is due to have full control over fracking in Scotland following the UK General Election in May.

Ewing stated that no further planning consent will be granted for unconventional gas extraction until a full public health impact assessment and public consultation is carried out.

Reacting to his statement Spokesperson for Shale Gas Europe Marcus Pepperell said: “We have always advocated that the development of a commercial shale gas industry anywhere in Europe should be subject to full and thorough academic analysis. We are confident that any future study undertaken in Scotland will complement a wealth of existing evidence to show that shale gas can be developed within an environmentally sustainable framework which is properly regulated. However Scotland needs further exploration to determine its future shale gas reserves. Any delay will only exacerbate existing speculation about its impact and the potential benefits in terms of new jobs and investment.”

About Shale Gas Europe

Shale Gas Europe is a platform managed by FTI Consulting for all actors involved in the exploration and development of shale gas, tight gas and coalbed methane. It aims to promote a dialogue and provide first-hand, up-to-date information to citizens, policy-makers and the media on all the key issues surrounding the development of shale gas in Europe. Shale Gas Europe is supported by Chevron, Cuadrilla Resources, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, and Shell.