§ Sir Nicholas BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce measures to ensure(a) that the direction of all telecommunications masts is properly controlled and (b) that numbers are kept to the practical minimum in (i) Dorset and (ii) the United Kingdom. [11581]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordControls over the erection of telecommunications masts are already in place. Masts over 15 m in height require a full application for planning permission wherever they are located, as do all masts in specified protected areas. Outside these areas, licensed telecommunications operators have the right to erect masts up to 15 m in height, subject to a prior approval procedure operated by local planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. To help minimise the number of masts, our planning policy guidance encourages mast sharing wherever practicable and licences issued under the Telecommunications Act require operators to consider this. These controls apply to England and Wales. Other controls are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right. hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.