§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect on farmers of planning restrictions on mobile telephone masts. [120577]
§ Ms Beverley HughesGovernment policy on the development of telecommunication masts is to encourage and facilitate the roll-out of a modern national telecommunications system while protecting the environment. This is reflected in the current framework of law and guidance on planning for such development.
As we said in the Action Plan on Farming launched recently by the Prime Minister, we recognise the benefits of mobile phones for rural communities and will consider ways of fulfilling the roll-out of mobile phone networks in rural areas while keeping environmental intrusion to a minimum and taking account of the recommendations of the forthcoming report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones.