§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, what further work has been carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board on modelling specific absorption rates arising from Tetra masts. [176485]
§ Caroline FlintThe National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has calculated specific absorption rates from Tetra handsets. Even in worst case situations, these were found to be well below international health and safety guidelines. In areas accessible to the public, signals from Tetra masts are very much weaker than those from handsets. The NRPB has not carried out any further work on specific absorption rates from Tetra masts.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W. on Tetra, what research has been carried out by the Radiocommunications 530W Agency (now Ofcom) in checking the biological effects of low level electro-magnetic radiation from Tetra base station. [176486]
§ Caroline FlintOfcom does not carry out any research on the potential biological effects of low level electromagnetic radiation. Ofcom does however check that signal levels from base stations comply with health and safety guidelines. Ofcom checks at 12 Tetra base stations have confirmed that signal levels are hundreds of times less than international health and safety guidelines in areas accessible to the public.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, what research is being carried out by King's College, London under the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research programme into the health effect of Tetra base stations and masts. [176487]
§ Caroline FlintKing's College London is already assessing the effects of GSM mobile phone handsets on cognitive performance and stress levels. It will extend the study to Tetra handsets in 2005. No work is planned on Tetra base stations or masts.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, when he expects each of the research projects he refers to in his answer to report. [176488]
§ Caroline FlintWe expect two final reports from Dstl during 2004: the first on biological effects of Tetra in September and the second on cognitive performance in December. The Universities of Birmingham and Manchester are due to report in October 2004. MCL is due to report in December 2005.
Because Imperial College is carrying out a long-term study, its interim report is not due until 2010.
Interim reports from these studies are available from the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/tetra.html, as are final reports from completed studies.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 12 May 2004,Official Report, column 352W, on Tetra, if he will list the people carrying out the research by Microwave Consultants Ltd. into specific absorption rates from Tetra equipment; whether this research includes Tetra masts; and what the source of funding is for this research. [176489]
§ Caroline FlintThe main Microwave Consultants Ltd. expert currently working on specific absorption rates from Tetra equipment is Dr. Philip Chadwick. The research does not include Tetra masts. It is funded by the Home Office.
531W