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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many earthquakes have been recorded at the Preston New Road site since Cuadrilla started fracking at that location.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is recording seismicity in the Fylde and as of 15 November it has reported 36 minor seismic events since operations began, all but four of these were below the 0.5 magnitude threshold which requires Cuadrilla to pause operations for a minimum of 18 hours.

The BGS has a greater quantity of specialist equipment in the Fylde than anywhere else in the UK which is why a high proportion of minor seismic events are being published on their site which are not reported elsewhere in the country.