1. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy on fracking? OAQ54464

Thank you. This Government has consistently made clear our opposition to fracking, as set out in our programme for government. Following overwhelming public support for the consultation proposals, I made a policy statement last December, setting out fracking will not be supported in Wales and there should be no new petroleum licensing.

I'm glad to hear that, Minister, as I had heard there were concerns amongst some environmentalist groups that the Welsh Government may have been decreasing its opposition due to the announcement that Ineos will open a factory in Wales. Of course, Ineos's main interest in mainland Britain is shale extraction. The investment by Ineos in Bridgend for building its new 4x4 is, of course, very welcome, and I hope people will now feel reassured by your answer that it will not affect the Welsh Government's fracking policy. Now, fracking isn't the only mode of petroleum extraction that's causing concern, however. Recently, an application was made to pursue seismic testing in Cardigan bay, to find locations for potential drilling. That licence was suspended, but that does not prevent similar applications being made in the future. So, could the Minister please give us an update on measures being undertaken by your Government to impose an effective ban on seismic testing, just as you've done with fracking?

Thank you. So, I do hope that will reassure anybody who's had any concerns. I don't think I've personally been contacted by anybody who's brought that issue to my attention. I was obviously aware of the application around seismic testing and did have conversations with UK Government counterparts to put forward our views on that. 

Minister, according to the United States Energy Information Administration, nearly two thirds of reduction in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the past decade in the US can be attributed to fracking. The United Nations inter-governmental panel on climate change notes that fracking has increased and diversified the gas supply, allowing for a more extensive switching of power and heat production from coal to gas. They also affirm that this is an important reason for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Does the Minister agree, in light of the above, with these organisations that fracking results in fewer carbon emissions?

I'm not aware of the article or the piece of research that the Member refers to. I just reiterate that we've maintained a very robust and unequivocal opposition to fracking. You'll be aware of the consultation that we had last year, and, certainly, public opinion was that switching to energy alternatives that emit far less pollution is both achievable and preferable, and also saw no future in beginning a new fossil fuel industry. All my efforts, and those of my colleagues, are looking at what we can do to bring forward more renewable energy. 

Minister, it's very welcome to hear that the Welsh Government continues its robust opposition to fracking, particularly the implications that that has for our environment as much as anything else. But, on fracking, there's also deep borehole testing, and some of this work is being done on NRW land as well. Can you, therefore, have discussions with your colleague in the Cabinet who is in charge of planning to ensure that deep borehole applications are also considered as an outlier to fracking, and, as such, whether councils should actually be considering that or not? And will you give guidance to councils in relation to that, because we could end up with a lot of communities being very anxious, very nervous as a consequence of an application, on which we will know nothing will happen because of the robust statement that you've just made?

David Rees makes a very important point. All petroleum exploration and extraction boreholes require a petroleum licence and planning consents from the local planning authority. Both regimes are devolved, wholly subject to Welsh policy. So, as I've said, our policy objective is to avoid the continued extraction and consumption of fossil fuels, and that includes shale gas extracted via fracking. I know when I was the planning Minister, we certainly provided advice and guidance to local authorities, but I'm very happy to speak to my colleague Julie James, who's in her seat, to ensure that if we need to update or we need to refresh, we can do that.FootnoteLink

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