Fracking is vital

Moscow and Kiev have just agreed a deal that will guarantee that Russian gas will flow into Ukraine this winter (your report, 1 November).

The European Union (EU) brokered this deal despite the fighting in eastern parts of the Ukraine.

The reason is not so hard to see since Russia supplies about a third of the EU’s gas requirements and any reduction or indeed halt to this supply would bring economic chaos and high unemployment.

No wonder Europe has seriously, although belatedly, begun to search for shale gas deposits which will bring stability and lower energy prices.

Meanwhile, in the UK the  anti-fracking zealots are allowed to hinder progress to being less reliant on foreign gas imports.

Time for the UK to push ahead with fracking and also build more gas storage facilities which at present are pitifully inadequate.

Clark Cross

Springfield Road

Linlithgow