The Welsh Affairs Committee has taken it upon itself to get more informed on the issue of Shale Gas. This has to be seen as a positive step – especially, but not exclusively, for those of us campaigning against extreme energy in Wales.
The deadline is now noon on 14th August – they appear to have brought it forward as, I am sure it was originally 30th August. You therefore have less than a week to make a submission.
The Committee invites written submissions and requests observations on the following issues:
- The importance of gas to the UK’s overall energy needs and the potential role shale gas could play within it;
- The potential for shale gas exploration and commercial level extraction in Wales;
- The potential environmental and climate change impact of extraction and use of the gas;
- Whether the current regulatory regime covering such activity is adequate; and
- The potential economic impact of shale gas production in Wales; and
The role of the Wales Office and the Welsh Government in developing a policy framework for the exploration of shale gas.
How to respond:
Each submission should:
- begin with a short summary in bullet point form;
- have numbered paragraphs;
- be no longer than 1,500 words; and
- be in Word format or a rich text format with as little use of colour or logos as possible. Please do not send your submission as a PDF document.
I have responded on behalf of Wales Green Party (a copy of my response can be seen here: https://bridgendgreens.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/submission-to-current-wales-affairs-committee-shale-gas-inquiry/ ).
It focuses on the stark scientific and technical evidence against fracking, and therefore leaves several of the listed issues unaddressed – for you!
Given the 1500 word limit, I found it impossible to cover everything that needs covering in my submission.
I would, however, urge as many people/organisations to respond as possible.
You do not have to live in Wales to submit information.
You can upload your submissions by clicking on this link:
Submitt written evidence to the inquiry into Energy generation in Wales: Shale Gas
(The spelling mistake is theirs, not mine.)
One of the first things you have to declare is whether your submission is from you as an individual, or behalf of an organisation.
The Committee members are all Welsh MPs, but any broadening of the knowledge base at Westminster has to be a good thing, The composition of the Committee is in the table below. If it includes your MP, please write to them direct as well, as they will be obliged to respond. (Share their response with us, please!)
| Member | Party | Constituency |
| David T C Davies MP (Chair) | Conservative | Monmouth |
| Guto Bebb MP | Conservative | Aberconwy |
| Geraint Davies MP | Labour Co-op | Swansea West |
| Glen Davies MP | Conservative | Montgomeryshire |
| Stephen Doughty MP | Labour | Cardiff South and Penarth |
| Jonathan Edwards MP | Plaid Cymru | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr |
| Nia Griffith MP | Labour | Llanelli |
| Simon Hart MP | Conservative | Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire |
| Siân James MP | Labour | Swansea East |
| Karen Lumley MP | Conservative | Redditch |
| Jessica Morden MP | Labour | Newport East |
| Mark Williams MP | Liberal Democrat | Ceredigion |
Bridgend's Green Leftie 
Wales has been plundered by strangers for thousands of years. NOW is the time to fight for REAL independence. Tell the fracking frackers to frackingwell frack off!
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c. Regulatory/legal: Environmental standards, policy with regard to carbon pricing and the tax regime will directly influence whether companies decide to invest in new hydrocarbon developments, including shale gas – so government has considerable capacity to shape such developments. Given the political will, it might in time even make offshore shale gas production a more realistic prospect – an indication on the part of government of the will to make this happen would stimulate creative thinking in the industry. Conversely, uncertainty about regulatory plans and future carbon prices is a strong disincentive to investment in new business lines. A fundamental difference between the UK and the US is the ownership of mineral rights. In the UK, these are held by government, whereas in the US they are owned by the landowner, who can therefore expect a share of revenues – a financial incentive which is absent in the UK. The size of individual land holdings in the UK (and other European countries) is smaller too. The complexity of the planning process, the possible need to seek compulsory purchase from many landowners, etc, has historically been a major obstacle to onshore hydrocarbon development in the UK.
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