§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential health risk from exposure to low-level(a) ionising and (b) non-ionising radiation; and if he will make a statement. [170822]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government is advised on the potential health risks from ionising and non-ionising radiation by a variety of bodies. The NationalRadiological Protection Board (NRPB) provides statutory advice to Government (www.nrpb.org). The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) provides advice on health effects of radiation at the levels encountered in the general environment. Low-level internal radiation emitters are the remit of the Committee Evaluating Radiation Risks from Internal Emitters and it is due to report to COMARE in the autumn of 2004. The risks from exposure to low-level internal emitters are also regularly reviewed by international organisations, such as the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation.
In addition, the Department runs its own radiological protection research programme in the area of low-level radiation exposure (both ionising and non-ionising), that provides information on the quantification of the risk to public health and the implementation of appropriate preventative measures. Research specifically aimed at investigating the potential health effects of mobile phone technology was set up in 2001 under the mobile telecommunications and health research programme.
For non-ionising radiation, the NRPB has recently reviewed the scientific evidence relating to possible adverse health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields in the frequency range 0–300GHz (Documents of the NRPB: Vol 15, No 3, 2004). This document provides 593W the basis of NRPB advice on quantitative restrictions on exposure and other measures to avoid adverse effects. It is available on the NRPB web site.