Richard Drax
Richard Drax has been the Conservative Party MP for South Dorset since 2010.[1] He is the great-grandson of John Plunkett, the Conservative MP for Thornbury 1886-92.[2]
Drax retained his seat in the 2015 general election, gaining 49 per cent of the vote and a majority of 11,994. [3]
Stance on fracking
In June 2013, Drax wrote an article in the DorsetECHO calling on government to cut subsidies to renewable energies and endorse fracking as means a means of boosting cheap energy supplies and'ensuring the continuity of supply in future'. He says:'of course, I am keen we explore more environmentally friendly ways of running our economy, but we have to deal with reality'. [4]
Drax's constituency hosts seven oil and gas licence blocks, awarded to energy companies by the Oil and Gas Authority under the 14th licensing round in 2015. Three of these licenses went to South Western Energy, two went to Perenco and two to Infrastrata. There are currently plans to conduct 3D seismic surveying across these blocks, but not to drill wells. No applications are currently underway. [5]
Voting record
Drax has voted a mixture of for and against greater regulations on fracking. [6]
- 26 January 2015: voted against making fracking companies apply for an environmental permit before conducting exploratory drilling. He also voted against an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill to include an 18 month moratorium on fracking.
- 11 February 2015: voted against requiring more pre-conditions for where fracking can take place.
- 16 December 2015: voted against greater regulations on fracking in protected areas and national parks.
Notes
- ↑ Richard Drax, www.parliament.uk, accessed 29 October 2013.
- ↑ Sarah Priddy, PIL: Current Members Related to Other Current or Former Members - Commons Library Standard Note, 13 September 2013.
- ↑ Dorset South Parliamentary constituency BBC News, accessed 21 May 2015
- ↑ Richard Drax, Richard Drax MP: fracking on the agenda, DorsetECHO, 7 June 2013, accessed 16 November 2016.
- ↑ Oil and gas: licensing rounds, GOV.uk, accessed 14 November 2016.
- ↑ TheyWorkForYou | Richard Drax, , TheyWorkForYou, accessed 14 November 2016.
