Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will discuss the potential health risks of fracking with (a) medical professionals and (b) the Secretary of State for Health; and if he will make a statement.
Michael Fallon
Public Health England has carried out a review into the potential health risks from chemical and radiological pollutants from shale gas extraction processes. This review, published in October 2013, took account of available information published up to 2012. It is being updated to take account of new information.
The review was conducted in response to requests to provide specialist advice to those responsible for public health protection, including local authorities and regulators. The review concluded that the risks to public health from exposure to emissions from shale gas extraction are low if operations are properly run and regulated. In the UK, shale gas developers and operators will be required, through the planning and environmental permitting processes, to satisfy the relevant regulators that their proposals and operations will minimise the potential for pollution and risks to public health.
