Michael Fallon is optimistic about the UK shale industry

Michael Fallon is bullish about the prospects for Britain's shale-gas sector. And, as he tells Conal Urquhart, while there's a lot of work to be done, the rewards will make the effort worthwhile

He has has been credited with the successful and controversial privatisation of the Royal Mail, the British postal service. But now Michael Fallon's job is to help establish Britain's fledgling shale-gas industry in the face of opposition from committed environmental activists and a public which is more aware of the challenges of drilling for shale gas than the benefits. The member of parliament has a wide-ranging role as a minister in both the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department of Business, and is now working with the handful of companies which have licences to drill for shale gas. Fallon said he expects that, over the next two years, about 20 to 30 exploration wells