§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received concerning the Government's planning guidance issued to local authorities relating to mobile phone masts over the past three years; and if he will make a statement. [109288]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe Department has received a range of representations on planning guidance and procedures for telecommunications over the last three years. We issued proposals to improve the arrangements in "Telecommunications Development Control" published in July 1998. This attracted 269 responses. Changes were implemented, by way of amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, in July 1999 and explained in Circular 4/99. We also issued for consultation in December 1998 the draft of a joint DETR/DH circular on "Land Use Planning and Electromagnetic Fields". This received 147 responses. The circular will be finalised as soon as practicable after the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones has reported in the spring.