(2) what steps the Government has taken to implement the recommendations of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones; and what measures are in place to protect children under the age of 12 years from exposure to potentially harmful radiation from mobile telephones;
(3) what discussions he has had in the Council of Ministers on the recommendations concerning EU member states contained in the European Parliament’s Resolution of 2 April 2009 on health concerns associated with electromagnetic fields; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what steps he is taking to (a) identify and (b) protect against the effects of mobile telecommunications radiation emissions those categories of people who have particular susceptibilities to them.
Between 1 June 2009 and 8 July 2009 the Department received one letter and one e-mail, both from the same member of the public, that mention guidelines for exposure to electromagnetic radiation.
In 2004 the National Radiation Protection Board (NRPB) recommended adoption of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) exposure guidelines for occupational and public exposure to electromagnetic fields between zero and 300 gigahertz (GHz). The NRPB’s recommendations can be found in the document “Advice on Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (0-300 GHz)” Documents of the NRPB volume 15 number 2, on the Health Protection Agency (HPA) website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733817602?p=1219908766891
The NRPB’s scientific review underpinning their recommendations is entitled “Review of the Scientific Evidence for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (0-300 GHz)”. Documents of the NRPB volume 15 number 3 are on the HPA website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733787839?p=1219908766891
The Government response to the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (Stewart) report was reviewed in the report “Mobile Phones and Health 2004: Report by the Board of NRPB” Documents of the NRPB volume 15 number 5 which is on the Health Protection Agency (HPA) website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733821582?p=1219908766891
A departmental leaflet on mobile phones and health, published following the Stewart report recommendation for further public information, includes advice concerning children’s use of mobile phones and can be seen on the Department’s web site at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4123979
A copy has been placed in the Library.
In response to the Stewart report, the Government have supported research on exposure to radio waves in the independently managed Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR). A copy of the MTHR report of 2007 has already been placed in the Library. Information on a further phase of research is available on the MTHR website at:
www.mthr.org.uk/research_projects/MTHR2_projects.htm
The HPA report on electrical sensitivity “HPA-RPD-010—Definition, Epidemiology and Management of Electrical Sensitivity. Report for the Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency” cab be found on the HPA website at:
www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733810369?p==1197637096018
United Kingdom Health Ministers have not had any discussions in the Council of Ministers on the recommendations concerning European Union member states contained in the European Parliament’s Resolution of 2 April 2009 on health concerns associated with electromagnetic fields.