Murphy In Pledge Over Fracking

Scottish Labour would stop onshore fracking from taking place in Scotland until safeguards are in place, party leader Jim Murphy has said.

Mr Murphy said the environmental and safety case for the use of the controversial technique for mining shale gas has not been made.

He said a Scottish Labour Government would use new powers over fracking to halt the practice north of the border.

Scottish Labour would introduce a "triple-lock system'', Mr Murphy said, involving a local referendum before final planning approval is given, halting fracking until lessons are learned from the rest of the UK, and a "comprehensive review of the baseline conditions'' before any planning application is granted.

Mr Murphy has called on the Scottish Government to use its existing planning powers now to stop any onshore fracking immediately, and said the UK Government should suspend the current licensing round in Scotland until new powers are devolved through the Smith Agreement process.

He said: "If I am elected first minister in 2016 there will be no onshore fracking in Scotland until it has been shown beyond all doubt that it can be carried out safely.

"People are rightly concerned about shale gas.

They are worried that it will be imposed on their community against their will and without their consent. I will not let that happen.

"So the next Scottish Labour Government will give local communities full control over onshore fracking in their area through a local referendum. No development will be able to take place without a majority of local residents endorsing any planning decision.''

He added: "No application for onshore fracking will even be considered in Scotland until we see what happens in other parts of the UK. I will not let Scotland become a guinea pig for fracking.

"The SNP Government in Edinburgh already has a veto over fracking through planning and permitting. The First Minister should use these powers now to stop any fracking taking place in Scotland.

"With the new powers coming to Scotland through the Smith Agreement, all decisions about fracking will soon be made here. The UK Government should suspend the current licensing round for fracking until the powers have been devolved. These decisions about Scotland need to be made in Scotland.''