Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what correspondence the Department has received from Third Energy on the timetable for a decision on hydraulic fracturing consent under s. 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 for that company's KM8 well in Ryedale; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is in regular contact with the shale gas industry, including with Third Energy, on a range of policy matters.

The Department is carefully considering the application submitted for Third Energy’s KM8 well in Ryedale and will respond appropriately in due course. There is no set timeframe for decision-taking.

Yesterday, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State issued a Direction to the Oil and Gas Authority which will impact on the existing application submitted by Third Energy and certain other applications by operators seeking to carry out hydraulic fracturing in future. I would refer the hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement that accompanies that direction which provides further details This can be seen here.