§ Chris RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into the effects of radio waves on leukaemia cells, with particular reference to mobile phone users. [85018]
§ Ms BlearsThe Department has not undertaken research into the effects of radio waves on leukaemia cells.
The independent expert group on mobile phones examined exposures from both mobile phones and base stations and experimental and epidemiological studies on possible health effects. It concluded that the balance of evidence to date suggests that exposures to radio waves below national and international guidelines do not cause adverse health effects to the general population.
The expert group also proposed that gaps in knowledge were sufficient to justify a precautionary approach to the development of this technology and made recommendations for further research. A comprehensive research programme has now been established in this country under an independent programme management committee (PMC). Out of more than 120 submitted applications the PMC has approved 1 5 research proposals to date. This research includes studies of the effects of radio waves on cells and studies of the incidence of leukaemia and other cancers in populations. Information can be found on the mobile telecommunications and health research web site (www.mthr.org.uk). The World Health Organisation's international electromagnetic fields project lists the research being carried out in a number of other countries (see www.who.int/emf)