§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons the recommendations of the Stewart Report on the Precautionary Approach on the placement of masts near schools have not been carried forward, with particular reference to recommendation 1.42; and if he will make a statement. [172312]
§ Yvette CooperThe Government gave careful consideration to recommendation 1.42 on the beam of greatest intensity. We have sought to address the concerns that the Stewart Group identified in the following ways.
Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 on Telecommunications recognises that when operators are siting mobile phone base stations schools must be given special consideration. It makes clear that, where it is proposed to install, alter or replace a mobile base station near a school or college, operators should discuss the proposed development with the relevant body of the school or college concerned before submitting an application for planning permission or prior approval to the local authority.
Department for Education and Skills has issued advice to local education authorities and schools about base stations in and around school premises and the use of mobile phones by children. Where parents and/or schools wish to know whether the beam of intensity falls on school grounds or buildings, the school should contact the base station's operator. The operators have agreed to provide schools with information on the level of intensity of radio frequency radiation. If there is major concern from the school or parents, they could ask the network operator to adjust the antenna.
1033WAnother recommendation (1.41) of the Stewart Report was the auditing of emissions from base stations particularly near schools and other sensitive sites. In an ongoing audit, OFCOM (formerly the Radiocommunications Agency) has measured exposures around nearly 300 base stations to date (www.ofcom.org.uk). In all cases exposures have been below, and mostly thousands of times below, the guidelines.