§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated and what data he has collated concerning the incidence of physical or other abnormalities in (i) children and (ii) adults exposed through work or domicile to permanent electro-magnetic forces arising from high-tension electricity transmission lines; and what plans he has for the mapping of such incidences. [18763]
§ Mr. HoramThe Department obtains advice on the health implications of exposure to electromagnetic fields from the National Radiological Protection Board and other sources including its own funded research. The primary focus of concern has been on power lines and 103W childhood cancer where the results have not shown a proven link: the NRPB's advisory group on non-ionising radiation conducted an extensive review of the subject in 1992 and concluded that there was no firm evidence of a carcinogenic hazard from exposure that might be associated with residence near major sources of electricity supply, the use of electrical appliances or work in the electrical, electronic and telecommunication industries. The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment has endorsed the advisory group's report. A supplementary report in 1994 was published by the NRPB to take into account the results of epidemiological studies from Scandinavia, France and Canada. Copies of the advisory group's report and the supplementary documents are available in the Library.
Several epidemiological studies are currently under way to investigate childhood cancer in relation to various possible causes including electromagnetic fields. The largest study of this type in this country is the United Kingdom childhood cancer study which is funded in part by the Department of Health with technical support provided by the NRPB. The Department is also funding
Patients' money held by health authorities and trusts on 31 March Regional Health Authority 1992£000 1993£000 1994£000 NHS Executive Region 1995£000 1996£000 Northern 4,718 5,282 4,076 Northern and Yorkshire 5,526 6,775 Yorkshire 5,024 3,790 3,276 Trent 5,041 4,302 3,844 Trent 3,950 4,285 East Anglian 2,605 2,429 2,272 Anglian and Oxford 6,688 6,824 Oxford 3,092 3,027 3,150 North-west Thames 7,241 7,922 7,484 North Thames 10,951 10,205 North-east Thames 6,455 6,288 4,678 South-east Thames 3,426 3,140 2,613 South Thames 10,189 9,823 South-west Thames 7,170 7,241 7,112 Wessex 2,885 2,766 2,819 South and West 5,131 4,749 South Western 2,363 2,338 2,128 West Midlands 3,950 3,505 3,429 West Midlands 4,058 3,729 Mersey 1,967 1,372 1,125 North West 5,891 3,477 North Western 4,245 3,797 2,138 Special HAs 380 614 577 Special HAs 0 0 Total 60,562 57,813 50,721 Total 52,384 49,867 Figures for 1996 are provisional.