A consultation on the Scottish Government's preferred policy position on unconventional oil and gas (UOG), the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report, and partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA)

Closed 18 Dec 2018

Opened 23 Oct 2018

Contact

0131 244 9380

UOGSEAConsultation@gov.scot

Feedback updated 3 Oct 2019

We asked

On 03 October 2017, the Scottish Government confirmed its preferred policy position of no support for unconventional oil and gas (UOG) in Scotland, subject to the necessary statutory and other assessments. Any policy decision that has potential for significant environmental effects must be subject to a SEA prior to its finalisation. These requirements are set out in the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. A Strategic Environmental Assessment is a means of considering the likely significant impact of a public plan, programme or strategy on the environment.

As there is potential for significant environmental effects, either as a consequence of industrial activity or as a consequence of not permitting an unconventional oil and gas industry, a SEA was required before the policy is finalised. Similarly, as there is potential for business and regulatory impacts, either as a consequence of industrial activity or as a consequence of not permitting an unconventional oil and gas industry, a BRIA was required before the policy is finalised.

A partial BRIA was produced help to assess the likely costs, benefits and risks of the preferred policy position and views are invited on its contents. The final BRIA builds on the partial BRIA and the consultation analysis.

You said

Altogether, 2,577 responses were received to this consultation. These responses have been independently analysed.

We did

The consultation ran for eight weeks, with responses accepted until 18 December 2018. Following the consultation closure, the responses were independently analysed. 

On 03 October 2019, the Scottish Government confirmed its final policy position of no support for unconventional oil and gas (UOG). The responses to this consultation, along with the 2017 Talking “Fracking” consultation and 2019 consultation on an addendum to the statutory assessments, were considered in detail by Ministers prior to the finalisation of this policy.

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

The Scottish Government is currently finalising its policy position on the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.

As part of that process we are inviting views on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and partial Business, Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) of our preferred policy position, that the Scottish Government does not support the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. 

These assessments are necessary before the policy position can be finalised and are the latest steps in the cautious, evidence-led approach the Scottish Government has adopted on this issue. 

On 28 January 2015, the Scottish Government put in place a moratorium on unconventional oil and gas development in Scotland, which prevents hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale oil and gas, and coal bed methane extraction taking place.  This created the space in which the Scottish Government was able to undertake one of the most far-reaching investigations into unconventional oil and gas of any government, including a four-month public consultation, Talking “Fracking”, which concluded in May 2017 and received more than 60,000 responses . 

On 24 October 2017,  the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of the Scottish Government’s preferred position of not supporting the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland. This preferred policy position was set out in a written statement on the Scottish Government website on 07 December 2017.

The practical effect of the current moratorium, and the on-going policy-making process, is that no fracking or other unconventional oil and gas activity can take place in Scotland at this time. Further information can be found on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/onshoreoilandgas.

Why your views matter

Any policy decision that has potential for significant environmental effects must be subject to a SEA prior to its finalisation.  These requirements are set out in the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. A Strategic Environmental Assessment is a means of considering the likely significant impact of a public plan, programme or strategy on the environment.  

As there is potential for significant environmental effects, either as a consequence of industrial activity or as a consequence of not permitting an unconventional oil and gas industry, a SEA is required before the policy is finalised.

Similarly, as there is potential for business and regulatory impacts, either as a consequence of industrial activity or as a consequence of not permitting an unconventional oil and gas industry, a BRIA is required before the policy is finalised. 

A partial BRIA has been produced help to assess the likely costs, benefits and risks of the preferred policy position and views are invited on its contents. The final BRIA will build on the partial BRIA and the consultation analysis.

When providing views to this consultation on the SEA Environmental Report, the preferred policy position statement and the partial BRIA, there is no need to restate views already covered in the 2017 Talking “Fracking” public consultation analysis report, as these have been, and will continue to be, taken into account as the Scottish Government finalises its policy position on unconventional oil and gas.

What happens next

The consultation will run for eight weeks, with responses accepted until 17 December 2018. All views provided during our 2017 consultation on unconventional oil and gas, Talking “Fracking”, have been, and will continue to be, taken into account as the Scottish Government finalises its policy position on unconventional oil and gas.

Following the consultation closure, the responses will be analysed and published. Ministers will inform Parliament of their finalised policy on the development of unconventional oil and gas in Scotland in the first quarter of 2019.

Interests

  • Business, Industry and Innovation
  • Economy
  • Energy
  • Environment and Climate Change