No new licences for oil and gas in Wales will be made before powers are devolved to the Welsh Assembly in 2016.

In July last year, the UK government revealed details of the first tranche of blocks involved in the bidding process for companies seeking licences to explore for oil and gas through a process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which included Monmouthshire.

But the Assembly’s Minister for Natural Resources Carl Sargeant had announced in February 2015 that he was “imposing a moratorium” on fracking in Wales by writing to all local planning authorities, requiring them to inform him of any application to frack for oil and gas.

In a recent statement, issued 14th August 2015, he confirmed: “The Welsh Government continues to believe that the technologies behind hydraulic fracturing are unproven and therefore we have maintained our precautionary policy framework in respect of proposals involving fracking.

“Onshore wind is currently the most commercially mature form of renewable energy and despite the UK Government’s hostility to this technology, the Welsh Government wants the people of Wales to benefit from the economic opportunities both through more job opportunities and community benefits presented by onshore wind,” he added.

UK Government Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom said: “Devolved administrations already have significant control of onshore oil and gas activities through planning and environmental systems, but as we have previously announced in the Queen’s Speech, we are giving the Welsh and Scottish Governments more decision-making powers when it comes to licensing.”

The licences do not give consent for drilling, hydraulic fracturing or any other activities – operators would require further authorisations from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), planning authorities and the Health and Safety Executive.