PEERS pushed the government yesterday to exploit Britain’s shale gas resources as “an urgent national priority” to deliver energy security, jobs and help cut emissions.

The Lords economic affairs committee backed the government’s decision to go “all out for shale” but complained that it needed to do far more to sell the benefits of the hugely controversial fracking process to the public.

Peers demanded that ministers do more to drive forward exploratory drilling including watering down complex regulation governing fracking projects.

But they praised the government’s decision to change trespass laws so that shale companies could drill under people’s property without their permission.

Friends of the Earth climate and energy campaigner Tony Bosworth said that while the report recognised that the regulations aren’t working its call for the government to “simplify” regulations and speed up the process will not reassure local communities and an unconvinced public.