Hansard so it’s true but what is he saying?

This from yesterday’s Hansard, on the day on which the enquiry, which will be decided by Greg Clark, Minister for Communities and Local Government, started.

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton Labour

My Lords, I declare an interest as a Lancashire resident. Will the Minister care to take away and reflect on the fact that there is great concern and anger at government suggestions that local people should be taken out of the decision-making process for future fracking? Will he care to comment on the fact that all the fracking decisions this Government have taken tend towards the north? Does he envisage any fracking taking place for oil or gas in the south of England, where Conservative support is concentrated?

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

My Lords, the noble Baroness will be aware that decisions on fracking are taken by planning authorities; they are not a matter for the Government. She will be aware that there are potential fracking areas throughout the country. That, of course, will be something that planning authorities will take forward.

Yes – he actually said “decisions on fracking are taken by planning authorities; they are not a matter for the Government.”

I wonder if he’d be kind enough to explain that to Greg Clark?