WHILE it is encouraging that Kevin Hollinrake has declared he will call for a moratorium on fracking if protections are weakened (“MP raises fracking concerns”, The Press, July 27), we need to remind ourselves that the Kirby Misperton site was granted permission under the current, apparently more stringent, policy regime.

Policy makers also seem to think if they focus on assuaging the public about visual impacts of drilling wells (eg special conditions related to National Parks) then fracking will be more acceptable to local communities.

They appear to want to avoid the more profound and difficult public debate around the underground risks attached to the fracking process itself.

David Farnsworth, Haxby, York