Phone Masts (Hansard, 2 February 2004)

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many representations he has received from hon. Members concerning health risks of mobile phone masts. [151659]

§ Keith Hill
Between January 2003 and January 2004, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received 65 letters from Members of Parliament which have included issues relating mobile phone technologies and health.
741W

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to revise the code of practice for mobile phone operators concerning the registration of telephone masts [151660]

§ Keith Hill
The Code of Best Practice on Mobile Network Development was published on 11 November 2002. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is setting up arrangements to monitor the operation of the Code but has no plans to amend the planning arrangements for telecommunications development at the present time.

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many mobile phone masts there are on his Department's official headquarters. [151661]

§ Keith Hill
Currently there are no mobile phone base stations installed on Eland House.

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many phone masts there are in each local authority area in England. [151662]

§ Keith Hill
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

§ Keith Vaz
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce a compulsory register for local authorities regarding phone masts. [151680]

§ Keith Hill
The current planning guidance on electronic communications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8). It encourages local planning authorities to maintain a register of masts. The Government have no plans to change these arrangements at present.

§ Mr. John Taylor
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce a sequential test for the siting of mobile phone masts to ensure that residential areas are selected only as a matter of last resort. [152300]

§ Keith Hill
Mobile phone mast development in residential areas is subject to the normal telecommunications planning arrangements in place throughout England, set out in Part 24 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (GPDO). These arrangements were significantly strengthened in 2001 and include improved requirements for consulting local people about mast proposals. The changes to the GPDO were underpinned by revised guidance, set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 8, Telecommunications.
The Stewart Report on Mobile Phones and Health, published in May 2000 did not recommend that the erection of mobile phone masts should be restricted in residential areas and we have no plans to introduce any such restrictions.