Injunctions: Fracking

Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 4 July 2019.

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Photo of Caroline Lucas Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of civil injunctions sought by and granted to shale gas companies on the rights of communities to protest shale gas developments; and if he will make a statement.

Photo of Caroline Lucas Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department collects on civil injunctions which place restrictions on protest activities; and if he will make a statement.

Photo of Caroline Lucas Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many custodial sentences have been issued for breaches of civil injunctions in the last ten years, and how many of those sentences placed restrictions on protest activities.

Photo of Caroline Lucas Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil injunctions placing restrictions on protest activities were (a) sought by and (b) granted to private companies in (i) 2016-2018, (ii) 2013-2015, (iii) 2010-2012 and (iv) 2007-2009.

Photo of Caroline Lucas Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil injunctions against persons unknown were (a) sought by and (b) granted to private companies in (i) 2016-2018, (ii) 2013-2015, (iii) 2010-2012 and (iv) 2007-2009.

Photo of Caroline Lucas Caroline Lucas Green, Brighton, Pavilion

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department collects on civil injunctions which place restrictions on protest activities.

Photo of Paul Maynard Paul Maynard The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

MoJ publishes data on the overall number of injunctions applied for and granted but this does not include detail of whether the injunctions were sought by or granted to private companies, or whether the injunctions relate to or place restrictions on protest activity. This information is not readily available and would require each court file to be checked for the required information which would incur disproportionate costs.

No assessment has been made of the effect of civil injunctions sought by and granted to shale gas companies on the rights of communities to protest shale gas developments.

The Ministry of Justice has published information on the number of defendants sentenced to immediate custody for ‘Breach of the conditions of an injunction against harassment’:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/802314/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2018.xlsx. However, it is not possible to identify any restrictions placed on protest activities, as this information is not held in the court proceedings database.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes1 person thinks so

No8 people think not

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