FRACKING could be carried out safely if the best engineering practices and robust inspection are used, Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans says.

Mr Evans was speaking to fellow MPs at Westminster during a debate on onshore oil and gas.

Mr Evans is chairman of the chemical industry all-party group and co-chairman of the energy-intensive industries all-party group.

INEOS is to operate a licence to allow it to explore for oil or gas possibly trapped in commercially viable quantities below ground.

The company has been awarded ‘acreage’ in Yorkshire, the East Midlands and Cheshire, the latter including Knutsford, Northwich and Winsford.

Mr Evans said: “The potential benefits of additional high-skill, high-wage engineering and manufacturing jobs and the increased security of our energy supply are too important to neglect.

“Hydraulic fracturing is an established technology, and has been used in the oil and gas industries for many decades.

“The UK has more than 60 years’ experience of regulating the onshore and offshore oil and gas industry and is a world leader in the field.

“If the best engineering practices are used alongside a robust inspection system, fracking can be carried out safely in our constituencies.

“Engineering and chemical industries are a vital part of the northern powerhouse, especially if we want to ensure a high-wage, low-tax, low-welfare economy in the north west of England.”

UK energy supplies were becoming uncompetitive and less secure, he said, supplies of North Sea gas for use as raw materials and fuel were reducing, and there was increased reliance on less secure supplies of imported gas.

“Our onshore oil and gas reserves offer an unrivalled opportunity to secure our energy supply for the future,” he said.

“It is estimated fracking has offered the US and Canada about 100 years of gas security, and has presented an opportunity to generate electricity with half the carbon dioxide emissions of coal.

“The safety and security of people, their homes and businesses is paramount to any discussion.

“I cannot and will not support anything that may pose a risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of local residents, the natural environment, homes or businesses.

“Perhaps that is an area in which the Government need to do more to convince the great British public.”

He said public bodies were relatively poor at getting points across, and there were many scare stories about fracking, based on what was said by powerful lobby groups.