Overlooked until now: the potential economic contribution of shale gas supply chain SMEs

Until now, the economic arguments presented in favour of exploiting Britain's apparently huge shale gas resources have centred on the potential for jobs creation.

But what we haven't heard is what that might actually mean for the economy, other than providing people with paid occupation.

Those jobs - 35,000 of them to be more precise - would command an industry average salary of £81,465 a year.

That is a staggering amount of money, enough to pay for over 19,000 GPs, or over 40,000 nurses or nearly 50,000 teachers.

Between now and 2024, this SME workforce would raise a whopping £6 billion for the Treasury in cumulative income tax and National Insurance Contributions.

That's not to say we shouldn't and won't see expertise from abroad supporting our shale gas endeavours, just that for it to be a success story here, the British public will need to see British companies - particularly trusted SMEs - share significantly in that success.