Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume says she is prepared to lay an amendment to the Energy Independence Bill to ensure a full legal ban on all forms of fracking, including the proppant squeeze method.
Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume has committed to pressing the government for a full legal ban on all forms of fracking, following the rejection of plans for a gas drilling well in Burniston.
The UK government recently confirmed plans in the King's Speech to formally legislate a permanent, nationwide ban on fracking through the newly proposed Energy Independence Bill.
While an effective moratorium on associated hydraulic fracturing for shale gas has been in place since 2019 due to environmental concerns and seismic activity, campaigners have raised concerns about lower-volume methods such as proppant squeeze.
Europa Oil and Gas had proposed installing a 125ft rig in Burniston, which would have utilised the proppant squeeze method.
North Yorkshire Council's strategic planning committee voted to reject the application in April. The refusal was based on heritage coast and landscape harm, proximity to residential properties, noise disturbance from 24/7 operation, and conflict with the council's climate commitments.
Councillors also raised concerns that the site, height, and lighting of the rig would impact the scenic beauty of the nearby North York Moors National Park, and that the economic benefits and impact on tourism had not been adequately demonstrated.
Europa Oil and Gas has stated there is no loophole in the moratorium, and the company's chief executive, Mr Holland, previously indicated plans to appeal the decision. He expressed confidence that the grounds for refusal would be overturned at appeal.
Alison Hume opposed the Burniston plans and is now pushing for the upcoming legislation to explicitly cover lower-volume extraction methods.
Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume said:
"Thank you to everybody who supported on a local level about the Europa Oil and Gas planning application to fracking in Burniston.
It is now up to the government to ensure that all forms of fracking are included in the ban which will be coming into the bill.
I asked the question in the King's speech, and Michael Shanks, the minister was sitting there listening, and I caught him in the lobby afterwards, and I said, "So, Minister Shanks, when are we going to close this loophole?" and the answer is that they're looking at ways of of doing that."
The Labour government has argued that fracking will not lower energy bills and conflicts with the UK's climate commitments. Meanwhile, opposition parties such as Reform UK have proposed reversing the ban to explore shale gas.
Historically, the Infrastructure Act 2015 governed hydraulic fracturing by requiring operators to obtain specific consents and meet safety and environmental thresholds before drilling could begin.
The new Energy Independence Bill aims to ban the issuing of new licences to explore new oil and gas fields, alongside introducing Transitional Energy Certificates to maximise remaining output from existing fields while shifting focus to renewables.
Environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth UK and local organisations like Frack Free Scarborough, have urged lawmakers to strengthen the ban.
John Atkinson of Frack Free Scarborough previously stated that a coordinated national effort is vital to put pressure on the government to stop the proppant squeeze method, which has been likened to small-scale fracking.
Despite the proposed ban on new licences, existing live licences remain a concern for campaigners and politicians alike.
Alison Hume said:
"I, I'm like a dog with a bone and I will not give up until that loophole is closed and if, if the next step is to lay an amendment, I'll be laying an amendment because the problem is that going forward, there'll be no new fracking, but we've got 66 licenses currently live.
And I've always said that Burniston is on the fracking front line and therefore what happens in Burniston could happen anywhere in the country. So, we'll continue to work on that."
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