<p>There is no reason to expect that any activities undertaken to extract shale gas will have any adverse effect on individuals' ability to secure a mortgage on properties nearby. There has been no evidence of any such effect in the UK to date in over half a century of oil and gas exploration and production. Extraction will be subject to the same robust safety and environmental regime, supplemented by new controls against seismic risks. The impacts of shale gas extraction on local areas will of course be fully considered through the planning process before any such project can proceed.</p>