HC Deb 25 February 2002 vol 380 cc911-3W
Mr. Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy of the full TETRA standard specification documents in the Library. [36591]

Mr. Denham

The suite of documents which comprise the Terrestrial Trunked Radio System (TETRA) standard specification is published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), based in Sophia Antipolis, France. The suite currently contains over 200 separate items and the documents may be downloaded from the ETSI internet website www.etsi.org. These documents are updated as the standard evolves and this method of access ensures that the latest version is always available for consultation. Alternatively, the documents may also be accessed via the library of the British Standards Institute, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL Tel: +44 (0) 20 8996 7004, Fax: +44 (0) 20 8996 7005.

Mr. Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to commission further investigations into possible health risks associated with the use of the TETRA communications system by the emergency services. [36593]

Mr. Denham

In early 2001, the Home Office commissioned a report from the National Radiological Protection Board on the potential health risks from Terrestrial Trunked Radio System (TETRA) technology.

The report concluded it was unlikely that the special features of TETRA posed a hazard to health and made recommendations for further research in the remaining areas of uncertainty. The Home Office has accepted the report and is taking forward all its recommendations in a comprehensive programme of work which is already well under way. This includes a large study commissioned by the Home Office from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory on the possible effects of TETRA signals on cell biology. The initial results of this work are expected by April, 2002.

Mr. Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he has given to police officers to reduce the possible health risks of using TETRA handsets. [36592]

Mr. Denham

The Home Office has issued guidance to police forces recommending a maximum output power of 1 watt for Airwave Terrestrial Trunked Radio System (TETRA) handsets.

This power limit ensures that transmissions from the handsets comply with exposure guidelines.

Mr. Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many TETRA masts(a) have been and (b) are due to be set up in constabularies using the Airwave Communications system. [36590]

Mr. Denham

The number of Terrestrial Trunked Radio System (TETRA) masts commissioned by mm02, the operator responsible for the development of Airwave, totalled 369 at 15 February 2002.

As the Airwave service is still under development, is not yet possible to give a precise figure for the overall number of masts required for England, Wales and Scotland. However, outline planning studies estimate that 3,500 masts will be needed to meet the police requirement for Airwave.

Mr. Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from scientific(a) organisations, (b) journals and (c) institutions expressing concerns over the possible health risks of the TETRA communications system; and if he will make a statement. [36595]

Mr. Denham

No representations have been received to date from the scientific community, or the scientific press, concerning the possible health risks of Terrestrial Trunked Radio System communications systems (TETRA).