§ Dr. LadymanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the official guidance on the minimum distance between mobile telephone and other communication masts and(a) residential property,(b) schools and colleges and (c) places of business in(i) other EU countries, (ii) Scandinavian countries, (iii) the United States of America and (iv) Canada; [84953]
(2) what discussions he has had with representatives of professional medical opinion on the guidance for the minimum distances between mobile telephone and other communication masts and occupied properties; and if he will make a statement. [84954]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe Government's statutory advisers on radiological protection matters are the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). The Board's advice to Government is based upon a continuing review and assessment of published scientific studies covering the fields of biology and medicine, epidemiology and dosimetry.
The NRPB have issued guidelines on limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This guidance specifies restrictions on the exposure of people, rather than safe 166W distances from equipment, and is related to established health effects of EMFs, such as effects on perception, central nervous system effects and the heating of tissues.
The NRPB advise that radio waves at ground level and in regions accessible to the public tend to be many times below guideline levels and should present no health risk. Telecommunications operators have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 to ensure that their work activities, which would include the operation of their apparatus, do not present a risk to employees and the general public. The practical effect of the combination of the NRPB guidelines and health and safety legislation should be that people are kept at a safe distance from sources of EMFs.
The NRPB also advise that there is no convincing evidence of a causal effect between exposure to EMFs and other health effects, such as cancer, and that published human health studies relating to these do not provide a basis for advice on setting exposure standards.
The Government continue to monitor international work on the possible health effects of EMFs and to gather information on worldwide practice on the limitation of public exposure to EMFs. The UK has also participated actively in negotiations of the proposed EU Recommendation on this subject and in the World Health Organisation's International EMF Project. We shall continue to take international practice and research results into consideration in taking forward policy on this matter, including in developing guidance on land use planning and electromagnetic fields.