Order, Order.

We turn now to a Stage 3 Debate on WB152 in the name of the Welsh Government. The question is whether this Parliament approves the Hydraulic Fracturing (Wales) Bill.

A

B I L L

T O

Prohibit hydraulic fracturing in Wales.

Having been passed by Senedd Cymru and having received the assent of His Majesty, it is enacted as follows:

1 Hydraulic fracturing consent ceases to have force

Any hydraulic fracturing consent given for a well in the Welsh onshore area shall cease and determine.

2 Amendment to conditions of licence to bore for and get petroleum

(1) This section applies in relation to a well in the Welsh onshore area.

(2) An onshore licence for England or Wales is amended to impose a condition that prohibits associated hydraulic fracturing from taking place at any depth.

(3) Nothing in this section shall be taken to prohibit any act done before this section came into force.

3 Amendment to conditions of well consent

(1) The Petroleum Act 1998 is amended as follows.

(2) A new section 4A is inserted—

“4A Onshore hydraulic fracturing

The Welsh Ministers must not issue a well consent for a well situated in the Welsh onshore area that is required by an onshore licence for England or Wales unless the well consent imposes a condition that prohibits associated hydraulic fracturing from taking place.”

(2) A new section 4B is inserted—

“4B Section 4A: supplementary provision

(1) “Associated hydraulic fracturing” means hydraulic fracturing of shale or strata encased in shale which is carried out in connection with the use of the relevant well to search or bore for or get petroleum.

(2) These expressions have the meanings given—

“onshore licence for England or Wales” means a licence granted under section 3 which authorises a person to search or bore for or get petroleum in those parts of the landward area (within the meaning of the Petroleum Licensing (Exploration and Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 2014) that are in England or Wales or are beneath waters (other than waters adjacent to Scotland);

“well consent” means a consent in writing of the Welsh Ministers to the commencement of drilling of a well;

“Welsh onshore area” is the area of Wales that is within the baselines established by any Order in Council under section 1(1)(b) of the Territorial Sea Act 1987 (extension of territorial sea).”

4 Interpretation

In this Act, “onshore licence for England or Wales”, “well consent”, and “Welsh onshore area” have the meanings given by section 4B of the Petroleum Act 1998 (as inserted by this Act).

5 Coming into force

(1) Sections 1 and 2 come into force one year after the day on which this Act receives Royal Assent.

(2) Subject to subsection (1), this Act comes into force one year after the day on which it receives Royal Assent.

6 Short title

The short title of this Act is the Hydraulic Fracturing (Wales) Act 2024.

• The Petroleum Act 1998.

This Bill was written by /u/lily-irl, First Minister, on behalf of the Welsh Government.

Llywydd,

This Bill fulfils a key pledge in this Government’s programme – to ban the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, in Wales.

There are significant harms to fracking. It has been observed that communities near fracking wells see an increase in shale gas pollutants found in groundwater, and there is an increase in air pollution as a result of fracking operations. Fracking causes methane to escape from wells into our air, increases the risk of damaging earthquakes, and produces high levels of wastewater which we are inadequately prepared to deal with.

As a part of our commitment to protecting the Welsh environment, both from the direct impacts of fracking and from the climate crisis that it contributes to, the Government is moving decisively to ban fracking. It provides that no new fracking wells shall be permitted from the day this Bill is passed, and orders a halt to all fracking operations a year later.

For the sake of the environment and human health, I commend this Bill to the Siambr.

Debate on this bill will end on Wednesday 28th of February 10pm GMT