Mark Menzies
Mark Menzies has been the UK Conservative Party MP for Fylde since 2010.[1]
In the 2015 general election Menzies retained his seat with a majority of 13,224. [2]
Contents
Tory MPs losing patience with Coalition's approach on fracking
Menzies's constituency is the only place where high-pressure high-volume fracking has so far occurred.
In November 2014 during a House of Commons adjournment debate on fracking, Menzies criticised the Coalition government for its lax regulation of the industry. He commented that,
- The public perception is there that the regulatory function in this country is still not up to speed with the challenges of onshore oil and gas activity.
Extra resources to regulate the industry were essential he argued.
- If we don’t do that, members of parliament like myself will find it very difficult to support this going forward because we will not allow anything to take place in our constituencies where the regulation is not robust, where the inspection is not independent, where the inspections are not unannounced. Anything short of that you will start to test the good will of members such as myself and the honourable member for Lancaster and Fleetwood Eric Ollerenshaw
Cuadrilla at Roseacre Wood
In February 2014, Cuadrilla applied to drill and frack eight shale wells across sites in Lancashire Roseacre Wood, within Menzies' constituency, and Preston New Road. [3]
Voting record
Menzies has voted a mixture of for and against increased regulation on fracking. [4]
- 26 January 2015: voted against making fracking companies apply for an environmental permit before conducting exploratory drilling. However, he was one of 52 MPs who voted in favour of 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 in favour of weakening regulations on fracking in protected areas and national parks.
Affiliations
- Former vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and Gas, set up 2013
- All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan - Vice-chair [5]
Notes
- ↑ Mark Menzies, UK Parliament, accessed 10 September 2013.
- ↑ Mark Menzies parliament.uk, accessed 12 November 2015
- ↑ Fiona Harvey and Adam Vaughan, Cuadrilla announces two new Lancashire fracking sites, The Guardian, 4 February 2014, accessed 23 November 2016.
- ↑ TheyWorkForYou | Mark Menzies, TheyWorkForYou, accessed 23 November 2016.
- ↑ Azerbaijan APPG Register, parliament.uk, accessed 11 November 2015
