James Murray – Business Green ‘This shameless fracking double standard will do little to build support for shale gas. The government’s fracking planning shake-up offends any sense of fair play, like so much of the Conservative shale gas strategy it could prove to be counter-productive

The double standards inherent in the government’s plans to fast-track planning decisions for the fracking industry are as obvious and shocking as a gas flare towering above a rural meadow. It is as if someone took the brass neck required to condemn ‘benefits cheats’ while rinsing parliamentary expenses and decided to turn it into a workable energy policy. Amber Rudd and Greg Clark deserve immense credit for managing to announce the apparently ‘one http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/james-blog/2421993/this-shameless-fracking-double-standard-will-do-little-to-build-support-for-shale-gas

Meanwhile Government provide an update on the policy and guidance 

UK Government ‘The government believes that shale gas has the potential to provide the UK with greater energy security, growth and jobs. We are encouraging safe and environmentally sound exploration to determine this potential. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a technique used in the extraction of gas from shale rock and has been used extensively over the last 60 years – it is estimated that more than 2.5 million wells have been fracked worldwide. The UK has a strong regulatory regime for exploratory activities but we want to continuously improve it. The UK has over 50 years of experience of regulating the onshore oil and gas industry nationally. Find more information on the government’s approach to shale oil and gas in our Developing shale oil and gas in the UK policy publication.Policy information, guidance for the public, infographics and explanations on shale oil and gas and ‘fracking’. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/shale-oil-gas-and-fracking