What its position is in respect of the implications for health of living near high voltage transmission lines.

In March 2004, the National RadiologicalProtection Board (NRPB) published new advice on limiting public exposure to electromagneticfields, including those from power lines. This new advice recommends adoption of the guidelines on levels of public exposure that are published by the InternationalCommission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection. The NRPB note, however, that therehave been some population studies that point to the possibility of effects belowthese guidelines, in particular for power-frequency magnetic fields. It has thereforerecommended that Government consider the possible need for further precautionarymeasures.
The Parliamentary Under Secretaryof State for Public Health (Melanie Johnson) has written to the Chairman of theNRPB welcoming the new advice, highlighting the need for inter-departmental workingand introducing initial plans for a wider stakeholder process to address the NRPB’scall for consideration of further precautionary measures in this area. This processis now underway through a stakeholder advisory group on extremely low frequencyelectromagnetic fields. Membership of the group includes UK governmentdepartments, the devolved administrations, the electricity supply industry, theelectricity supply regulators and a number of non-governmental organisations andpublic concern groups.