§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will bring forward tighter planning controls on the siting of mobile telephone masts in respect of health and environmental considerations. [HL2455]
§ Lord WhittyIn its response to the report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones, issued on 11 May 2000, the Government said that they were minded to introduce a requirement for full planning permission for all new telecommunications masts, but would need to consult widely before doing so, including on the purpose and precise scope of any new arrangements. We shall issue a consultation paper on this and related guidance as soon as practicable.
§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, to achieve a notional consistency of approach to health risk, they propose to place an immediate ban, similar to the beef bone ban, on the construction of mobile telephone masts of whatever height, whether in receipt of planning permission or not. [HL2456]
§ Lord WhittyThe Independent Expert Group on Mobile phones, set up at the instigation of the Government and chaired by Sir William Stewart FRS FRSE, has considered the possible health effects of the use of mobile phones, base stations and transmitters. The group published its report on 11 May.
The group concluded that "the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines. However, there can be indirect adverse effects on their well-being in some cases."
45WAThe group's report does not recommend a ban on the construction of mobile phone masts and the Government have no plans to introduce such a ban. What the report does do is make some specific recommendations for precautionary action for the use of mobile technology. In its response to the group's report, the Government indicated that they accept the precautionary approach advised by the group and will hold further discussions and consultation on specific elements.
§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will require companies to co-operate in making fuller use of existing mobile telephone masts to restrict the multiplication of such masts. [HL2457]
§ Lord WhittyThe Government's policy is firmly to encourage mast and site sharing where that is appropriate. Conditions attached to the use of powers granted to individual mobile operators by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and incorporated in their operating licences, include a requirement to investigate mast sharing before seeking to put up any new mast.