35 Tory MPs including Cabinet Ministers facing fracking blight after most drilling licences are handed out in party strongholds

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Energy Minister Michael Fallon is trying to recreate the success that America has had with fracking

Drilling for gas could take place across the south of England in the constituencies of 35 Tory MPs.

A new analysis of the areas where shale - a type of rock rich in natural gas - is plentiful and drilling licences have been handed out, covers the constituencies of several cabinet ministers.

Most are situated around the Weald Basin in Surrey and Sussex including the seats of Education sectretary Michael Gove, Cabinet secretary Francis Maude, Defence secretary Philip Hammond, Justice secretary Chris Grayling and Health secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Last week, the energy department announced fracking, the controversial technique of extracting gas from rock, would go ahead in earnest in the coming months despite environmental concerns.

Energy minister Michael Fallon said the government ‘owed it to the next generation’ to explore new energy sources which may bring down household fuel bills.

He told the Mail: ‘Let’s get fracking. There has been a lot of interest already, particularly in southern England and we are hoping to attract the big firms to come and drill here.’

In the USA fuel prices have tumbled due to shale exploration.

On his trip to Washington last week David Cameron said: ‘Frankly, I am pretty jealous of your fracking success here in the US.’

But fracking, which involves drilling a well thousands of feet underground, and pumping in water and chemicals at high pressure to crack the rocks beneath, is fiercely opposed by local residents and green campaigners.

They say it will ruin the environment, creating traffic and pollution, and potentially contaminating underground water supplies, and increase Britain’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Only one shale project is already underway, with the firm Cuadrilla Resources which has wells near Blackpool.

The energy minister is proposing building facilities like this one in Lancashire, across the south of England. An MP has said that people won't want to see gas production in the rolling hills of Surrey

The firm has another licence to drill at a beauty spot near Balcombe, West Sussex, but residents have pledged to ‘fight it all the way’.

Analysis by Greenpeace show 38 out of 62 MPs in the shale-rich south have land with existing oil and gas drilling licences - and 35 of them are Conservatives.

These are areas highlighted by the British Geological Society as having potential for shale, and a company which is or has expressed an intention to drill has a licence to exploit it.

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It was revealed last year that in the northwest, constituencies with shale gas licences include Tatton, home of chancellor GeorgeOsborne, and north Shropshire, where Owen Paterson, environment secretary,is MP.

Some MPs are already privately concerned. One Tory said: ‘It’s one thing to have fracking in the vast plains of America. It’s a whole different matter when people will see gas production in the rolling hills of Surrey.

A new round of licences will be handed out next year. Mr Fallon said areas to be targeted are Bath, South Wales, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and an area of the East Midlands and North East known as the Bowland Shale.

Cabinet ministers Philip Hammond and Michael Gove's seats in Surrey are likely to be hit by the drilling plans

Jeremy Hunt and Chris Grayling are the MPs for Surrey constituencies. 38 out of 62 MPs in the south already have land with existing drilling licences

The resource been hailed as an energy revolution which could reduce Britain’s dependence on expensive imported gas, create tens of thousands of jobs and possibly lower household fuel bills.

The Tories are determined to try and kickstart a shale gas revolution despite the reservations of energy secretary Ed Davey who has said it will not be a ‘silver bullet’ and some energy expects saying it is unlikely to lower bills.

Mr Fallon said: ‘It’s not only growth and jobs but the potential for cheaper gas bills for households and industry which has already seen huge benefits in the US. We owe it to the next generation to see if we can make that happen here.

‘It must be safe and properly regulated, and firms will consult the local community, which will receive either a direct reduction in their energy bills or a sizeable cheque for their local area.’

Greenpeace energy campaigner Lawrence Carter said independent experts at Ofgem, Deutsche Bank and even Mr Davey had all agreed it would not lower bills.

He said: ‘Fracking clearly has the government’s backing but it across the Tory heartlands, where so far it has been bitterly opposed. When this gets going it will make wind farms look like a walk in the park.’