Jim Fitzpatrick

Jim Fitzpatrick has been the Labour Party MP for Poplar and Limehouse since 2010. He was previously MP for Poplar and Canning Town from 1997 to 2010. In the 2015 election, Fitzpatrick retained his seat with a majority of 16,924 and 59 per cent of the vote. Poplar & Limehouse Parliamentary constituency BBC News, 8 May 2015, accessed 21 May 2015 
Fitzpatrick was appointed a shadow transport minister in 2010.Jim Fitzpatrick, www.parliament.uk, accessed 24 August 2013. He resigned from this position in August 2013, in order to vote against a Labour amendment to a Government motion on Syria in the House of Commons, stating he was "opposed to military intervention in Syria, full stop".Labour frontbencher opposed to Syria military action 'full stop' resigns, theguardian.com, 29 August 2013.
He is a vice chair on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and Gas. Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups [as at 3 February 2016, Parliament.uk, accessed 16 December 2016. 
He is a former Labour minister for Defra.
==Supports fracking==
In January 2014, Fitzpatrick tweeted:
:Fracking protesters are in denial of the science let alone the economic benefits locally and nationally. Public Health England say it's ok. fitzmp, Twitter, 13 January 2014, accessed 16 December 2016. 
 
Commenting on Labour's tabled amendments to the Infrastructure Bill in January 2015, he said:
:'With eight of ten homes still reliant on gas for heating, shale gas may have a role in improving our energy supply and reducing carbon emissions in the future. But I know many people in Poplar and Limehouse have serious concerns about the environmental and safety implications of fracking. Labour have always said that shale gas development cannot go ahead unless there is a robust regulatory regime in place. But the Tories and Lib Dems repeatedly ignored people’s genuine and legitimate concerns over shale gas and seemed prepared to plough on at any cost.' 2015 January, MP's website, accessed 16 December 2016. 
In a debate in the House of Commons on transport and local infrastructure in May 2016, Fitzpatrick stated:
:'There is a real conflict for local councils that have the prospect of shale extraction and fracking. Notwithstanding the clamour from the environmental movement and the Greens for shale extraction not to be proceeded with, I think the vast majority of people in the country would much rather that we use our own natural resources than import gas from the US, Qatar or Russia. Shale extraction makes much more sense for our economic security, but the Government have to address the conflict between local communities being panicked and scaremongered into opposing shale extraction applications and the need for that national industry to be developed.' TheyWorkForYou | Debates, TheyWorkForYou, accessed 16 December 2016. 
Fitzpatrick has served as vice chair to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and Gas since July 2015.
===Voting record===
Fitzpatrick has voted a mixture of for and against increased regulation on fracking. TheyWorkForYou | Jim Fitzpatrick, TheyWorkForYou, accessed 16 December 2016. 
*26 January 2015: voted in favour of making fracking companies apply for an environmental permit before conducting exploratory drilling. He was absent for a vote on an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill to include an 18 month moratorium on fracking.
*11 February 2015: voted against requiring more pre-conditions for where fracking can take place.
*16 December 2015: voted in favour of weakening regulations on fracking in protected areas and national parks.
==Affiliations==
*All-Party Parliamentary Group on Shale Gas Regulation and Planning - Member
*All Party Parliamentary Group on Unconventional Oil and Gas - is a longstanding member of this APPG since 2013, later appointed vice-chair
*Student Rights - a project of the Henry Jackson SocietyAbout Us, Student Rights, 26 May 2014
*All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture - Member Membership List, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture, accessed 16 November 2015
*Secretary of Fire Safety All-Party Parliamentary Group Fire Safety Rescue APPG Register Feb 16, www.parliament.uk, accessed 18 February 2016
==Notes==
Fitzpatrick, JimFitzpatrick, JimFitzpatrick, Jim Fitzpatrick, Jim