Today Police Commissioner, Julia Mulligan, and I met Police Minister, Nick Hurd, to ask for government support towards the cost of policing the fracking protests in Kirby Misperton. The additional cost to North Yorkshire Police has so far topped £700,000. Whilst Third Energy’s operation in Ryedale is currently on hold, it is likely that hydraulic fracturing will resume and when it does the policing costs will rise once again. Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent quelling aggressive protests and local resources have been stretched as a result. The Minister confirmed that a special grant is available and that, so long as criteria are met, our bid is likely to qualify. After the Police and Crime Commissioner’s team have calculated the total cost, they will be submitting an application to the Government for a reimbursement of funds. I will do everything that I can to help make sure that this is successful. Meanwhile, I’d like to thank the officers who have policed the site and their colleagues who have filled in from across other parts of the force during what has been a very difficult period.