Lord Deben:

Under the budgets we have set, we will take more gas out of the ground in Dubai or Russia in the coming years. By saying 80% will be left in the ground, it means that 20% will not be left in the ground. That will happen anyway. However, if we produce it at home under the tough measures we have, we will not buy it from Mr. Putin. If we buy it from him, he has not got any of those measures in place. If, for example, one were producing 100, one would not be allowed to produce 120 because one is producing it at home; one must keep it at 100.

There is an issue in this regard. The science is clear. The Deputy can say the science requires us to keep 80% in the ground, but that means we must decide where the 20% comes from. The science is clear that fracking properly with these tough measures means producing gas with less emissions than by taking gas from many of the existing sources today. In order to stick to the science, it is not feasible to claim that fracking is unscientific, which is what the campaigners do.

It is a choice one makes. I would prefer to get what we need for gas from a source that is not controlled by Mr. Putin, because it would ensure that the polluting effect was significantly less. If someone was to take that approach, however, they should not think that they will have a market after around 2032 because there will not be one.