To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications (a) to construct and (b) to add to existing telecommunications masts in each council area of Northern Ireland were approved in the last 12 months. (132188)

The Department of the Environment's Planning Service approved 155 planning applications for telecommunications masts between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007 and the following table shows the number approved in each district council area. I regret that the Planning Service's electronic records system does not provide a distinction between an application for the construction of a mast and an addition to an existing mast.