What steps are being taken to ensure that consideration is given to the safety implications of telecommunication masts being sited within c…

Mobile phone operators have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to ensure that the public are not exposed to risks to their health and safety from mobile phone masts. In the case of radiofrequency radiation the Health and Safety Executive expects operators to carry out that duty by complying with guidelines produced by the National Radiological Protection Board designed to prevent known thermal effects.Operators have, in addition, agreed that their masts should also comply with more stringent guidelines on public exposure issued by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation ProtectionRegarding issues relating to interference with hospital equipment, the issue of the compatibility of medical devices with electromagnetic emissions from other sources is overseen by the UK Medical Devices Agency (MDA). Their 1997 report on this subject, which covered a large number of different models of medical device, found no significant levels of interference from cellular base stations, which include mobile phone masts. The MDA also records all UK incidents of malfunction or other problem affecting the safety of all medical devices and I understand that no incident attributable to interference from cellular base stations has yet been recorded.