The former chairman of the Commons select committee overseeing energy and climate change has called on communities to directly be given significant payouts if they accept fracking, solar farms or wind turbines on their land.
Tim Yeo, who stood aside from the committee while a probe was launched into claims he used his role to help lobbying, said money would ensure villages affected by new energy projects would share in the benefits rather than watch as a “vague payment“ by the energy company was spent elsewhere by their local county council.
Speaking on Radio 4, Mr Yeo warned an absolute veto on fracking in certain areas was unlikely, but warned the government that trying to force communities to accept fracking rather than persuading them of potential benefits would make the process harder.
His comments come as up to 1000 campaigners gather in Balcombe for a renewed anti-fracking protest at the site of a controversial drilling location.
“I think the American experience shows it’s possible to do this safely though they have been a bit cavalier in some parts of America but they have very different traditions there,” he said.
“I think it does show these are reserves that can be exploited for the national benefit. It looks as though Britain has got quite substantial reserves.
“I would rather we used gas that was produced in this country than bought from the Middle East or even from Norway, and again the American experience shows it has a beneficial effect on price.
“I doubt if the price effect would be quite so great here as it’s going to take much longer to roll this out in a crowded country like Britain but it will have some effect in stabilising gas prices.”
Mr Yeo was replaced as chairman of the committee by North East MP Sir Robert Smith following claims he coached a businessman employed by a firm he has financial links to on what to say while giving evidence to the committee.
Providing suitable benefits for communities taking on energy provision has been a significant part of the debate around wind turbines and fracking.
“Local communities should be able to share in the benefits, much more substantially than they can at the moment,” said Yeo.
“I think a significant cash benefit has to flow back to local communities. Whether it’s fracking, whether it’s a solar farm, whether it’s a wind turbine, if they are willing to accept those in the national interest as part of our national energy mix they should share in the rewards – cash benefits to the local communities.
“Not some vague payment to the county council which people will see disappearing to a car park in the next town but something which comes directly back to the people who live in the villages most affected.”
Meanwhile Cuadrilla is scaling back its exploratory oil drilling operation today as up to 1,000 extra protesters prepare to hold anti-fracking protests.
The firm said it was acting on police advice to wind down its work near Balcombe as campaigners behind the Reclaim the Power camp move in to the area for six days from today.
As barbed wire and security fences went up around the drilling site, camp organisers No Dash for Gas warned there will be “direct action” – prompting fears of clashes between protesters and police.
A Cuadrilla statement said: “After taking advice from Sussex Police, Cuadrilla is scaling back operations ahead of this weekend’s No Dash for Gas event.
“During this time, our main concern is the safety of our staff, Balcombe’s residents and the protesters following threats of direct action against the exploration site.
“We will resume full operations as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Cuadrilla announced this week that it is “unlikely” to turn the area into a fossil fuel production site, but its statement failed to appease anti-fracking campaigners.
No Dash for Gas said: “There are two stories that could emerge from Balcombe this summer.
“It could be the place that paved the way for a dirty and dangerous method of fuel extraction to tear up the country, or it could be the place where a group of ordinary people inspired the world by taking back the power.
“We are here, together with dedicated people from Balcombe, to make sure that it’s the latter.”