Ministers have met the fracking industry 31 times in three years but anti-fracking campaigners from the targeted areas only once. The disclosure comes weeks after fracking was interrupted at a shale gas exploration site in Lancashire by a third minor earthquake. The energy firm Cuadrilla restarted operations but a tremor of 0.8 magnitude brought activity to a temporary halt. The meetings, recorded in the transparency register, include 13 with the fracking giant Ineos, five with UK Onshore Oil and Gas and five with Cuadrilla. Ministers from the departments for exiting the European Union, for business, energy and industrial strategy, for international trade, for environment, food and rural affairs, along with the Treasury and Home Office, all met industry representatives.
Times 11th Nov 2018 read more »