- Rother Valley MP, Alexander Stafford, secured a debate in Parliament calling for a permanent ban on fracking, specifically in Rother Valley, that took place on Monday 28th September.
- Securing this debate was one of Alexander Stafford’s key election commitments.
- Alexander Stafford MP argued that Rother Valley does not need or want fracking in its backyard.
On Monday September 28th, Alexander Stafford MP fulfilled his Election pledge by putting forth a case before Parliament for fracking to cease in his constituency Rother Valley.
Alexander Stafford MP worked closely with organisations Harthill Against Fracking and Woodsetts Against Fracking ahead of this debate.
The government has been clear that it opposes fracking and Alexander Stafford argued the moratorium on fracking must become a permanent ban. In May 2019, the then Communities Secretary, James Brokenshire MP, declared that the benefits of shale gas were “quashed” and no longer relevant for planning purposes.
Alexander Stafford is pleased that the Minister’s response made it clear that fracking will not be going ahead, and that there was no point for Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to conduct traffic management plans and surveys of proposed fracking areas.
Alexander Stafford has backed the Prime Minster’s plans to “build back greener” when it comes to economic recovery from coronavirus.
Commenting, Alexander Stafford MP said:
“My constituents in Rother Valley have worked hard all of their lives to buy their homes, only for fracking to decimate house prices in the vicinity. Nobody wants to live next to an industrial site and I hope to ensure that fracking does not take place in our beautiful community.”
“By leading the green revolution, we shall create jobs, turbocharge business and rejuvenate our left behind communities. I envision this new industry being centred in Rother Valley. I want, for example, renewables plants in Dinnington and Maltby and specialist training colleges in Thurcroft and Aston. I want, for example, hydrogen factories in Orgreave and distribution networks in Hellaby.”
“The possibilities are endless, and my ambition for Rother Valley is limitless too. Our area has the industrial heritage, the expertise and the desire; we just need to be given a chance.”
“This government is committed to building back greener. We want to preserve the beauty and integrity of our local communities and I am very pleased to have secured this debate in Parliament to raise this very important local issue.”
Commenting, Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth, Kwasi Kwarteng MP said:
“The Government have no plans whatsoever to review the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing. We will not support fracking unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely and without inconvenience. As I have said, this is extremely unlikely to happen, as far as I am concerned. In fact, there has been no fracking since August 2019 and no applications for hydraulic fracturing consents have been made. There will be no fracking for the foreseeable future in the Rother Valley or anywhere else in this country.”
"As Alexander Stafford, Conservative MP for Rother Valley implied, the world has rather moved on from fracking. He has very eloquently championed the green revolution, he's championed hydrogen, a number of new technologies which we think will get us to net-zero, and so hydraulic fracturing – he described it as a technology of the past but it's not something we envisage at all in our future and in our progress towards net-zero.”
