The Scottish government will now lead a debate entitled 'Scotland Values its EU Workforce and their Contribution to Health and Social Care'

SNP MSP Angus MacDonald asks what weight the government will give to the public health impact study is making their decision.

Mr Wheelhouse says health impact is important and the government will look to the stakeholders and consider their main concerns. 

Image source, bbc

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says it is pretty clear that the government is on the long road to saying no to fracking.

Mr Rennie asks if the government will have made a decision by the end of 2017.

The energy minister says the debate around unconventional oil and gas will influence both the government's climate change and energy strategy.

Mr Wheelhouse says he hopes to have all of this concluded by the end of 2017.

Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell says the parliament has a legislative duty to scrutinise the delayed climate change strategy.

Mr Ruskell asks what will appear in that document under fracking, will there just be a big question mark.

The minister says he recognises the importance of fracking to the climate change and energy strategies.

Mr Wheelhouse says he is sure there will be a healthy debate around fracking.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser asks when the consultation will be closed and when will there be a decision.

Mr Wheelhouse says the government will look at the evidence for around four months after the new year and should have made a decision by the second half of the year.

Image source, Getty images

The Scottish Parliament voted to support an outright ban on fracking after SNP MSPs abstained, in June.

Labour tabled an amendment saying there "should" be a full ban as part of an environment debate headed by Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham.

After SNP members abstained, the motion was passed by 32 votes to 29.

Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said there needed to be proper research and a public consultation before a decision was taken on fracking.

Scottish Labour said it would be "outrageous" if the SNP "ignored" the result of the vote.

The amendment is not a binding policy, but represented a defeat for the SNP, which supports a moratorium on fracking but stops short of backing a full ban.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish asks if the minister agrees the climate change science is irrefutable and says we should not lock into another.

Ms Beamish calls for a public consultation on an outright ban on fracking.

Mr Wheelhouse says the government is trying to be inclusive and the government will wait for the results of the consultation and take if from there. 

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Mr Wheelhouse has announced the results of a public health impact assessment co-ordinated by Health Protection Scotland, which was tasked with reviewing scientific evidence to report on potential risks posed by fracking.

As well as the public health study, five commissioned research projects were published. Their subjects are:

• Economic impacts
• Climate change
• Decommissioning, site restoration and aftercare
• Understanding and monitoring induced seismic activity
• Community level impact on transport

The energy minister says he has already announced the consultation on fracking will take place early in the New Year.

Mr Wheelhouse says: "It is important to listen, something the Conservative party would do well to do on wider issues."

Scottish Conservative MSP Alexander Burnett says there are a number of contradictions in the government's energy policy. 

Mr Burnett says it is "breathtaking" that the minister still can't give a time-frame on fracking.

The Tory MSP asks for a time-frame on a decision.  

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Mr Wheelhouse says: "I am able to confirm today that our consultation on unconventional oil and gas will launch, on schedule, early in the New Year.

"In view of the importance of discussing unconventional oil and gas in the context of both wider energy use and climate change matters, I can also confirm that the launch of the consultation will be coordinated with the publication of our Climate Change Plan, and the consultation on Scotland’s draft Energy Strategy."

He says the consultation will not be an opinion poll.

He says the consultation will continue the process of presenting evidence, encouraging discourse, and will allow the public and stakeholders to set out their views. 

Mr Wheelhouse says the decommissioning study carried out by AECOM and seismic study carried out by the British Geological Survey have each reviewed international literature and practice to draw conclusions on potential hazards and what, if any, steps could be taken to mitigate those hazards, including regulatory actions.

The minister says finally, to ensure that the full range of environmental issues are given due consideration, a full strategic environmental assessment will also be prepared and considered before a final decision is taken.

The study examining transport impacts carried out by Ricardo estimates that an individual well pad could require traffic movements to be sustained at around 190 per week for a period of approximately 2 years during the development phase.

However, the report also states: “…local communities would nevertheless experience an increase in traffic numbers, potentially for an extended period of a number of years.”

The overall conclusion of the Health Impact Assessment, conducted by Health Protection Scotland is, quoting from the report:

“The evidence considered was ‘inadequate’ as a basis to determine whether development of shale oil and gas or coal bed methane would pose a risk to public health, if permitted in Scotland."    

Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse says the government moratorium focused on fracking and coal bed methane technologies.

Mr Wheelhouse confirms the research reports have now been published. 

Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse says the government's approach to oil and gas is one of caution.

Mr Wheelhouse says the UK government have a "gung-ho approach" into fracking and others want to see it banned altogether. 

Image source, bbc

• Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside.
• The extensive use of fracking in the US, where it has revolutionised the energy industry, has prompted environmental concerns.
• The first is that fracking uses huge amounts of water that must be transported to the fracking site, at significant environmental cost.
• The second is the worry that potentially carcinogenic chemicals used may escape and contaminate groundwater around the fracking site.
• But the industry suggests fracking of shale gas could contribute significantly to the UK's future energy needs