Energy firms to be given freedom to frack

THE Government is planning to give energy firms the right to frack for shale gas under private land without permission.

It is understood the move will be included in the Queen’s Speech in June as part of an infrastructure bill.

The measures will change trespass laws, allowing companies to drill in return for compensation to landowners.

Ministers are said to fear landowners and anti-fracking protestors could use existing trespass laws to block extraction of the gas, and thwart the industry’s progress. Opponents argue fracking can cause air and water pollution.

The North West is at the heart of the industry’s UK plans. Large deposits of shale lie across the North West and are being explored by two firms, Cuadrilla Resources and IGas.

According to the BBC the prime minister’s spokesman said the Government was looking at ways to ensure there was not “an overburden of red tape and regulation”.

He added: “Fracking is something that is very new, certainly in this country, which is why we are looking to see whether there are particular obstacles to the test drilling.”

Energy minister Michael Fallon will discuss fracking when he speaks at a conference in Blackpool tomorrow.

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