SNP calls for Scottish powers over fracking decisions

The Scottish National Party MSP Angus MacDonald has welcomed John Swinney’s acknowledgement that powers over unconventional oil and gas should be within Scotland’s control. This comes after the failure of the English Parliament to accept the objections of the Scottish Government to remove the right of householders to object to fracking beneath their homes.

MacDonald spoke at the Topical Questions in the Scottish Parliament recently. He said:

“The UK Government has completely ignored the Scottish Government’s view on the issue – and the views of the 99 per cent of respondents to their own consultation who objected to their plans. For householders to lose their rights to object to fracking under their own home is completely unacceptable.” “I am very pleased that the Cabinet Secretary agreed with me that Westminster shouldn’t be allowed to rule roughshod over the wishes of people in Scotland – it is vital that powers over unconventional oil and gas extraction are transferred to Scotland, rather than being held by the Westminster establishment.” “This issue is far too significant to be simply nodded through as part of a behind closed doors agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems – people in Scotland deserve the chance to debate plans which rob them of their existing rights, without even the right to individual compensation in return. These are powers which should be transferred to the Scottish Parliament – to allow the matter to be taken forward in a cautious, considered and evidence based fashion, rather than in the gung-ho manner favoured by the UK Government in their dash for gas.”