Mobile Phone Masts (Hansard, 2 July 2001)

§ Mr. Oaten
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he plans to publish PPG8 on mobile phone masts. [1239]

§ Ms Keeble
On 16 March 2001, my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Housing, Planning and Construction announced a series of important improvements to the planning arrangements for telecommunications development. We shall introduce the rules and publish the revised Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG8) on Telecommunications Development to implement the changes at the earliest opportunity.

§ Mr. Oaten
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received calling for health risks to be considered as part of the planning consideration for mobile phone masts. [1238]

§ Ms Keeble
The Department has received centrally in the last year 363 letters from Members of Parliament and 541 letters from members of the public and local planning authorities about the amenity or health aspects related to mobile phone masts. These are in addition to responses to last year's consultation exercise seeking views on possible changes to the planning laws relating to telecommunications masts and associated guidance (365 in total).