Fracking 'Moratorium' Rejected By MPs

A rebel amendment to the Infrastructure Bill demanding a moratorium on fracking has been heavily defeated in the House of Commons.

The clause, backed by the chair of the Environmental Audit Committee Joan Walley MP, along with Lib Dem and Labour MPs, had proposed that fracking should be "discontinued" until an "independent assessment" was carried out.

It was defeated by 308 votes to 52 during a vote on Monday, but the Government did make concessions to the bill, including a pledge not to carry out fracking in national parks.

A Labour front bench amendment, which proposed a list of conditions before fracking can take place, was also accepted by the Government.

It comes after anti-fracking campaigners called on the Government to listen to concerns over environmental risks and climate change associated with the controversial technique in a report by the committee published on Monday.

A leaked letter from George Osborne revealed how the Chancellor called on Cabinet colleagues to "make it a personal priority" to implement measures to help boost the shale industry.

The report was welcomed by campaign groups fighting against fracking.

Matt Bryan, from Frack Free Dee, earlier spoke to Sky News from their protest camp at Upton, near Chester.

He said: "It's critical that Westminster acts upon the wishes of the people who voted them in.

"The evidence is clear and it's substantiated and politicians need to start listening to the evidence that's on the table and not the evidence that's pushed for a corporate agenda."

The Government has said it is going "all out" for developing a shale industry in the UK, claiming it would create jobs and growth, not to mention much-needed energy.

"We have one of the most robust regulatory regimes for shale gas," said a statement from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

"UK shale development is compatible with our goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions and does not detract from our support for renewables."

Government adviser Professor Peter Styles added: "It's fairly understandable that nobody actually wants any disruption near their house, but I will ask them if you are not prepared to engage in the process of providing energy are you entitled to engage in the process of consuming it?"

Supporters of exploiting the unconventional gas also claim it could be a "transition" fuel helping move the UK from the most polluting fossil fuel, coal, towards a cleaner energy supply.

But Ms Walley said fracking could not be compatible with long-term commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions unless full-scale technology which captures and permanently stores carbon was rolled out rapidly - something which looked unlikely.

She said: "There are also huge uncertainties around the impact that fracking could have on water supplies, air quality and public health."

The Infrastructure Bill includes measures to make it easier for energy companies to drill under people's homes without their permission and allows them to leave "any substance" deep underground.

A protest was held outside Parliament ahead of the final debate on the bill, with speeches by Vivienne Westwood, Bianca Jagger and former UK climate envoy John Ashton.