Osborne bolsters his case for 'dash for gas'

The Chancellor has said that his policies will "support over £100 billion of private sector investment in our energy" while reducing the energy departmental budget by eight percent.

On controversial shale gas, he said: "Now we make the tax and planning changes which will put Britain at the forefront of exploiting shale gas.

"We will provide our country with the energy of the future at a price we can afford."