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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to Dr Laurence Stamford’s recommendations from The University of Manchester’s Energy Futures publication, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of UKOOG’s estimates that shale would only provide about 5 per cent of demand by 2027; and if he will instead tackle decarbonisation to impact consumer bills through energy conservation and reduction demand.

In line with the commitment made in the 2019 Conservative Manifesto, the Government will revert to a precautionary approach regarding hydraulic fracturing operations. The Government will again take a presumption against issuing any further hydraulic fracturing consents, a position which is an effective moratorium.

The Government remains committed to net zero by 2050. The UK is a climate leader and is driving down demand for fossil fuels on the path to net zero.