YP Letters: Fracking cash offer is an attempt to divide and conquer

The Government's compensation offer to fracking areas has attracted strong criticism from North Yorkshire residents.

SO, finally this Government admits that fracking will cause problems to people who live near fracking wells. This money offered by Theresa May is a very unpleasant bribe and very flawed in its thinking.

It will be very divisive, setting neighbour against neighbour as has happened in the US. Many properties are rental, who would receive the money? The landlord or the tenant?

As houses in Kirby Misperton are already becoming unsellable because of fracking, no amount of money will help those who need to move house.

From: David Hoggard, Gilling Way, Malton.

RACHAEL Maskell, MP for York Central, claimed that “99.2 per centt of Ryedale residents are against fracking” (The Yorkshire Post, August 8). That would mean that, of every 1,000 Ryedale people, 992 are against fracking and only eight either don’t know, don’t care or support it.

According to the 2011 Census, 52,000 people live in Ryedale, so she suggests that only just over 400 people in Ryedale are in one of those three response classes.

That is simply not credible. I live in Ryedale, and I can’t recall any survey being conducted. Which respected, neutral body conducted the survey? When? What was the sample size and demographic balance? What was the context?

Unless Ms Maskell can satisfactorily answer these questions, she should stop making such spurious claims.

From: Anne Nightingale, Station Road, Helmsley.

RESIDENTS have said time and time again, along with their local councils, we do not want fracking forced upon us, so the Government is now going to try a different approach to try to soften the blow by promising cash payments.

However the gas companies have to make a profit before any money can be offered to locals and with the low price of wholesale gas at the moment, and the high costs of production from fracking, this seems highly unlikely.

From: Dr Simon Sweeney, University of York.

IT would be better if the Government directed such largesse to research and development on renewable energy sources. Green energy can cut fossil fuel dependency, reduce our carbon footprint and help us meet internationally agreed commitments. We need green alternatives, not a reckless dash for shale gas.