§ Mrs. BrowningTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research into health the Government have initiated following the recommendations of the Stewart report in respect of telecommunications masts. [51605]
§ Yvette CooperThe Mobile Telephone Health Research (MTHR) Programme was set up in February 2001 following the publication of a report in May 2000 by an Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones under the chairmanship of Sir William Stewart FRS, FRSE on 123W "Mobile Phones and Health". Radio signals from handsets were identified as a research priority because localised exposures of people using phones are in general appreciably higher than exposures to the whole body from base stations. In both cases, however, exposures need to comply with exposure guidelines.
The first group of proposals agreed for funding by the Programme Management Committee has generally related to the areas of research identified in the Stewart Report. Although the main focus of much of the funded research relates to the use of mobile phones, in practice many of the experimental studies will also be valuable in providing evidence on any possible effects on people of exposures to radio frequency (RF) radiation from base stations. The agreed programme includes a study on exposures from the newer types of base station that are being introduced in urban areas. Details of research now underway are given on the MTHR website at www.mthr.org.uk.
A second call for proposals was issued last year and applicants have been invited to submit more detailed research applications which will be considered by the Programme Management Committee in the summer. The aim of this call was to extend the range of research being carried out under the aegis of the MTHR programme and some of the proposals are of direct relevance to exposures to RF radiation from base stations.