WITH David Cameron having said only this week, that we must not lose a valuable resource by opposing fracking, I tend to think that Bill Wiggins' call for a “reasoned debate” on the subject, Hereford Times, August 8, is no more than Westminster speak for “there is no alternative – the decision has been made, let the drilling commence”.

Mr Wiggin rightly points out that Herefordshire has a high proportion of people living in fuel poverty. (subliminal message here: without fracking, expect to be colder next winter). He bolsters the argument by stating the blindingly obvious that it will be beneficial to “keep fuel prices down”, and finally delivers the killer blow – a reference to “cheaper energy”.

I for one was sold on fracking as soon as I read that in America it led to a stupendous reduction in oil and gas prices, which of course were already way below UK levels.

I don’t need a debate on fracking, I want drilling rigs springing up like weeds, and in particular, I want to see real benefits to Joe Public in the UK: guarantees by the companies involved in fracking that there will be no environmental disasters, and legislation that will come down hard (and fast) on any companies that breach the guarantee, with compensation going to the public rather than the treasury.

Where we do need a debate, is on the multi-billion pound Government waste that the Taxpayers Alliance have identified every year since it started reporting on these matters in 2006. (£120 billion in 2011/12 – £4,500 per household). When can we have that debate?

GRAHAM CARPENTER Oldfields Close Leominster