Yougov has published a poll of UK public opinion for the Sunday Times, which this time round includes a number of questions about shale gas exploitation and energy policy in general. These are the questions and main responses. The segmented responses can be seen in the original document here.
I'm not sure that it tells us very much, except that the public are a bit mixed up on these questions.
Shale gas is natural gas trapped under sedimentary rock, which is extracted using a method known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking". There are large reserves of shale gas in parts of England. Some people think that using shale gas could be a solution to Britain's energy needs. Other people think that fracking is a dangerous technique that risks contaminating ground water and causing minor earthquakes. From what you have seen or heard about the issue, do you think Britain should or should not start extracting shale gas?
| Should | 41 |
| Should not | 33 |
| Don't know | 26 |
If Shale Gas extraction through fracking was started in Britain...How safe, if at all, do you think it would be?
| Very safe | 8 |
| Fairly safe | 33 |
| Not very safe | 25 |
| Not safe at all | 11 |
| Don't know | 23 |
How good for the economy, if at all, do you think it would be?
|
Very good |
27 |
| Fairly good | 41 |
| Not very good | 11 |
| Not at all good | 3 |
| Don't know | 18 |
How damaging to the environment, if at all, do you think it would be?
| Very damaging | 20 |
| Fairly damaging | 27 |
| Not very damaging | 27 |
| Not at all damaging | 4 |
| Don't know | 22 |
Some people think that Shale Gas fracking would be good for an area as it would provide jobs and investment. Other people think it would be a bad thing for an area as it would damage the local environment and cause pollution. Do you think it would be a good or bad thing if Shale Gas fracking began in your own local town or area?
| A good thing | 25 |
| A bad thing | 43 |
| Neither | 14 |
| Don't know | 18 |
Do you think the government is right or wrong to invest money to encourage the development of the following forms of energy generation?
| Nuclear power | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrong | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind power | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrong | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Solar power | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrong | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tidal power | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrong | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power from shale gas | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrong | 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Clean coal" power | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Right | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wrong | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't know | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||