HC Deb 22 January 2004 vol 416 cc1442-3W
Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research into the health and safety issues of terrestrial trunked radio his Department has collated since July 2001. [149196]

Ms Blears

On the recommendation of independent experts, the Home Office set up a comprehensive programme of work on TETRA health issues. The Home Office also funds TETRA-related research as an adjunct to the Mobile Telecommunications Research Programme co-ordinated by the Department of Health.

TETRA was found to have no effect on calcium exchanges in cells—the main concern of the Stewart report. Independent checks confirm that TETRA equipment fully conforms with health and safety regulations. Longer-term human volunteer studies are under way.

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will commission further research into the health and safety issues of terrestrial trunked radio masts. [149197]

Ms Blears

The Government have no plans to commission any further research into the effects of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) masts.

The National Radiological Protection Board's independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGN IR) has recently published a report on "Health effects from radiofrequency electromagnetic fields". The report confirms that there is no reason to believe that signals from TETRA base stations should be treated differently from those from other base stations. The AGNIR experts do not suggest any further research on TETRA masts.

Independent checks of the TETRA masts used by the new police radiocommunications system, Airwave, have confirmed that they fully comply with international health and safety guidelines.