Scottish Government Claims It Has Not Banned Fracking in Scotland

The Scottish government claims that it has not issued a ban on fracking in Scotland, according to Tom Pickering, operations director at Ineos Shale.

“We were astonished to learn during proceedings that the Scottish government claims that it has not issued a ban on fracking in Scotland, and indeed there may never be one,” Mr Pickering said in the statement.

“The Scottish people and Parliament may find this revelation barely believable, when the government has repeatedly told Holyrood that there is an effective and immediate ban,” Mr Pickering added.

“The developments during the judicial review process undermine the statements made by ministers and cast further uncertainty and ambiguity across the policy framework for onshore unconventional oil and gas development in Scotland,” he continued.

Mr Pickering said there was now an “unpredictable” and “uncertain” environment for business in Scotland.

“The current situation makes it harder than ever for business to invest in Scotland for the long term,” he stated.

Responding to Mr Pickering’s statement, a Scottish government spokesperson said the government’s preferred position is that it does not support the development of unconventional oil and gas.

“As we have made clear, this position is subject to a strategic environmental assessment. It remains inappropriate to comment further during the judicial review process,” the spokesperson said.

In October last year, Paul Wheelhouse, the minister for business, innovation and energy, told the Scottish parliament that fracking “cannot and will not take place in Scotland”.

Source: Rigzone