A Hampshire MP will today launch a twin-pronged bid to slam the brakes on fracking for shale gas – warning there are still “enormous questions to be answered”.

Dr Alan Whitehead is a member of a Commons select committee which is calling for a ban on the controversial new process unless and until there are new safeguards.

Tonight the Labour MP for Southampton Test will try to force through amendments to the Infrastructure Bill.

However, the Government department responsible insists that regulations are already tough enough to safeguard residents, the land and the environment.

The move follows the Daily Echo’s revelation that eight licenses for possible fracking have already been issued to gas companies in this region, including around Southampton and Winchester.

Firms have also been invited to bid for the rights to explore in as yet untouched areas – although in the New Forest and South Downs national parks “in exceptional circumstances” only.

Dr Whitehead said he believed that Hampshire and Sussex would – together with the north-west region – end up with most fracking wells, if the revolution goes ahead.

And he warned: “Our report doesn’t say ‘never under any circumstances’ to fracking, but there are enormous questions to be answered, on both the environment and procedures.

“One of my biggest concerns is the large number of wells there will be in any particular area, which will have a huge impact on the water requirements and the disposal of chemicals.

“And then there’s the distance to be drilled under homes. Cracks of 600 metres are possible – which will affect water courses and aquifers and, potentially, pollute water going into people’s homes.”

Today’s report, by the Commons environmental audit committee, describes fracking as currently “incompatible with our climate change targets”.

Only a “very small fraction of our shale reserves” can be safely burned, it says, if the rise in global temperatures is to be kept below two degrees, to avoid catastrophic climate change.

And the changes to trespass laws – to allow companies to frack under people’s homes without permission – are described as “profoundly undemocratic”.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change insisted the fracking plans went far enough to safeguard residents and the environment.

A spokesman said: “We’ve been consistent that shale gas must be explored safely and environmentally soundly. We are confident that our existing robust regulation will protect residents, the environment and the landscape for exploration.”