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Scottish government to announce fracking position Scottish government backs ban on fracking
(about 1 hour later)
The Scottish government is set to announce its position on the future of fracking. The Scottish government has announced a ban on fracking.
Energy minister Paul Wheelhouse will give a statement to MSPs at Holyrood on unconventional oil and gas. Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse told MSPs that the practice "cannot and will not take place in Scotland".
There has been speculation that ministers are poised to rule out fracking north of the border. He said an existing moratorium on the technique, which has been in place since 2015, should continue "indefinitely" after a consultation showed "overwhelming" opposition.
A moratorium on the technique has been in place since 2015, and ministers have also ruled out underground coal gasification over environmental fears. Mr Wheelhouse said MSPs will be given a vote on the issue later in the year before a final decision is taken.
It is expected that MSPs will be given a vote on the topic later in the year before the final decision is taken. But with only the Conservatives now opposed to a ban, the vote is likely to be a formality.
The government has commissioned a series of expert reports on the controversial oil and gas extraction technique, and a public consultation was launched in January 2017. The results of the consultation will be published alongside Mr Wheelhouse's speech. The Scottish government has previously imposed a similar block on underground coal gasification (USG) - a separate technique used to extract gas from coal seams deep underground - on environmental grounds.
Shale gas is currently processed in Scotland at a site in Grangemouth, having been shipped in from abroad, but cannot be extracted from beneath Scottish soil under the current moratorium. It followed the introduction of a moratorium on both fracking and UCG in 2015, which saw a series of expert reports published on the potential health, environmental and economic impact of the controversial techniques, as well as a public consultation being carried out.
Some political parties and green groups argue that fracking causes environmental damage, but others point to potential economic benefits. Mr Wheelhouse said the consultation came back with "overwhelming" opposition to fracking, with 99% of respondents supporting a ban.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she is "highly sceptical" about fracking, saying she has "big questions" about its potential impact on the environment, health and local communities. He said ministers had taken a careful and evidence-based approach to considering the case for fracking, but said their conclusion was that the government "will not support the development of unconventional oil and gas".
In November 2016, Mr Wheelhouse pledged that the view of parliament would play a part in the final decision, saying he anticipated a "lively debate followed by a vote", which the government would reflect on. Shale gas is currently processed in Scotland at a site in Grangemouth, having been shipped in from abroad, but cannot be extracted from beneath Scottish soil under the current moratorium, which is enforced through planning regulations.
Mr Wheelhouse said local authorities would be instructed to continue this moratorium "indefinitely".
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had previously said she was "highly sceptical" about fracking, noting "big questions" about its potential impact on the environment, health and local communities.
Members had previously voted to support a ban on fracking, but SNP members abstained from that vote.Members had previously voted to support a ban on fracking, but SNP members abstained from that vote.
Mr Wheelhouse's announcement was welcomed by environmental groups, with Friends of the Earth Scotland and WWF Scotland both hailing a victory for campaigners.
But the Scottish Conservatives said Scotland would miss out on a "much needed economic boost" and high-skilled jobs as a result of the decision.
MSP Dean Lockhart said ministers had ignored scientific and economic evidence to take a "populist" decision, and were simply playing politics.
However Labour MSP Claudia Beamish said the move did not go far enough, arguing that ministers were merely extending the existing moratorium.
Ms Beamish has a member's bill tabled at Holyrood calling for a "full legal ban", but Mr Wheelhouse said this would not be needed until his proposals.
The Scottish Greens also wanted a more permanent ban, with MSP Mark Ruskell saying the moratorium was "legally shaky" and open to challenge.
Scottish Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur welcomed the decision, saying that ministers had taken the "scenic route" but had ultimately decided "effectively to ban fracking".
What is fracking and why is it controversial?What is fracking and why is it controversial?
Find out more....Find out more....