FYI from Hansard,
Amanda

Mobile Phone Mast

9.54 pm

Mr. Kerry Pollard (St. Albans) (Lab): I present a petition from my St. Albans constituents, which, I am proud to say, is, I believe, the last of this Parliament.

The petition states:

The Petition of the St. Albans residents

Declares that Vodafone has breached the mobile phone industry's code of best practice in its application to construct a phone mast in London road, St. Albans.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to introduce legislation ensuring that local residents are consulted, and that the needs of children living in residential areas are taken into account before masts are constructed in such areas.

The Petitioners further request that the Government introduce legislation to force mobile phone network providers to use existing masts where such masts already exist.

And the Petitioners remain, etc,


AmandaWesley

From Vivienne Baron.

Here is the 2nd part of the notes (taken in shorthand). Very bitty, as headache and arthritis had hit in!!

Mike Clarke took the stage and talked about the Sieslo Inquiry - power risks and mentioned that Friends of the Earth "did not question our expertise in that area." He said "we are zapped by our doctors and dentists by x-rays". He also said that many houses in the south west had high doses of radiation.

The Health Protection Agency dealt with chemical, biological and radiological issues. He chortled on that power lines were an issue. He said, "the Stewart report is regarded as a model" and pointed out the anomalies. He was asked about the DRAPER REPORT by Amanda, but we did not get a satisfactory answer from him.

John O' Brien stated that 18 billion pounds goes back to the government in revenue from 02 Airwave. (I am asking John to circulate notes on his talk)

Roger Coghill. He listed reports:-

Lai and Singhs - pulsed microwaves appear to be causing damage. Lymphosites - without these we cannot protect ourselves from diseases, cancer, etc.

1992 Jan Wallacek - unpaired electron........

Keith McLaughlin
Jolante in Poland
2005 Jaijte confirmed the effect.

Melatonin fights cancer.

Cherry uly 1997 p. 119

Experiments are being done with melatonin in Surrey University. Then he mentioned "discontinuance of use afterwards" 1990.

Chris Maile:

Para 16 Schedule 2 lands tribunal for compensation. Para 17 Masts removed.

(Below is more information from Chris, - but all of this was not brought out at the Forum)

Childrens Act


Whilst this could be used, it would be more useful to point to the provisions in the Communication Act and the Regulations, which are more targetted at phone masts than the Childrens Act (horses for courses)

Principle Duty of Ofcom (S3 of the Act)

The Principle Duty of OFCOM in carrying out their functions to "Further the interests of citizens in relation to communications matters" (s3(1)). OFCOM MUST have regard to:- "the vulnerability of children and of others whose circumstances appear to OFCOM to put them in need of special protection" s3(4)(h)). The real nail biter of the Act is Section 132 which gives the Secretary of State the power to order OFCOM to suspend or restrict the service of Electronic Communications in order "to protect the public from any threat to public safety or public health."

Power to preserve court papers and to obtain compensation. Barry Trower referred to some foreign country that allows compensation and Chris pointed out that we have a process in the UK thanks to Asbestos cases that allows a claim to be submitted today where there is reasonable grounds to suppose that a person may at some future date become ill. This enables the protection of all the papers and even preliminary compensation Part 41 of the Civil Procedure Rules. (There is a chain of causation between injury and illness.)

Compensation

Code 16 of the Electronic Communication Code allows for compensation to be sought from the operators for injurious affection.

Court Cases

The Court of Appeal has not prevented health being taken into account - quite the reverse. They have, as a consequence of Harrogate, set out that in exceptional cases health is relevant and must be taken into account, thus if an LPA fail to look at health concerns they will have failed to consider whether there is a significant effect and therefore acted unlawfully

Fiona said - Aarhus Convention. Participation in decision making - UK law in June of this year. DEFRA is involved. There is a window of opportunity to make our views felt.

Article 10a. In terms of decision making a citizen is entitled to not only procedural, but substantive judicial review. Alan Meyer said "the employer must supply a safe system of work."

Roger Coghill said 3G wavelength - a persons head may act as an aerial and absorb these wavelengths. Within 100m and 300m radius, there is a doubling of childhood leukaemia. Roger has papers on this. The socio-economic development versus the environment. There will be a financial loss somewhere along the line. Resource economics. If you do that, then the folowing circumstances will occur and the following losses will occur. The loss of the value in your property - put that information together as well as the scientific. This is what we LOSE - add in the dosh. One should use the notion of accountability. Conflicts of interest. Professor Crawley - professional scientists (didn't get the rest of this...sorry)

Fiona ACCOUNTABILITY
l. Scientists viewed with suspicion
2. Government Scientists viewed with more suspicion
3. NGO Scientists are more respected.

WE NEED WATCHGUARDS. An average rice worker in the paddy fields is more protected than any one in this room.

There are three things to note.
l. LITIGATION. People should get together to do that.
2. Lack of perceived credibility of NRPB
3. Precautionary Principle is not acknowledged.

The Chairman of the Dorset Police Federation spoke of his concerns for the health of his members - using the TETRA system. Police men and women were very worried.


Mike Clarke said that Barry Trower had not been commissioned by the Police Federation to write his report, and there was some disagreement about the word "commissioned". However the Chairman of the Dorset Police Federation backed Barry Trower.

bY CHRIS MILLS

12:00 - 05 April 2005

Anti-phone mast campaigners have reacted with disappointment to a Government announcement promising more research into the future development of base stations. A short statement was issued late last night by Planning Minister Yvette Cooper promising the commissioning of "more research into the future development of mobile phone mast networks".

The research will look at the potential for increasing sharing of mast sites between the major phone companies.

National planning chiefs will also look at the effectiveness of the Sitefinder database which is supposed to list all base stations in the UK and their emission levels.

Planning Minister Yvette Cooper said: "It is important to identify the future direction of mobile phone technology in order to inform policy development and to respond to public interest in this area."

The Echo revealed earlier this year how the number of masts nationwide had doubled to more than 50,000 since 2001 when the Stewart Report was published recommending the adoption of a "precautionary principle".

Jenny Wright, who has led a campaign against two masts within 100 metres of her home near Broadclyst, said: "If they stop putting the masts on top of our homes, schools and hospitals, then they can share whatever sites they want.

"I'm sure the Government has only come out with this because of the election."

This is Exeter

5/4/05

Hypersensitivity Symptoms Associated with Electromagnetic Field Exposure
http://www.mthr.org.uk/research_projects/hypersensitivitysymptoms.htm
http://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/newsruralenvironment-1301.htm

Volunteers tested on phone mast 'dangers'
http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/13/nmast13.xml

Omega: What reliable results can we expect from research which is jointly funded by the Government and mobile phone industry?

A major study into the safety of phone masts is being carried out by scientists at the University of Essex.

Dr Rod Williams is among more than 260 volunteers who will be tested.

Dr Williams, who used to run a business making millions of pounds, believes the illness which has stopped him working is down to electromagnetic waves.

If researchers find a link, the medical profession will have to recognise that electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome exists.

IT specialist Dr Williams, 39, of Braintree, Essex, began feeling unwell seven years ago.

Dr Ron Williams:
If you have a business meeting you can't make decisions or work you way through issues... it is totally debilitating.

His job meant he has had a high exposure to mobile phones and LCD screens and he originally thought his illness was the early symptoms of the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

"It affects where you can go because if you go to an environment where a lot of people are using mobile phones, I will get a headache immediately after that.

"If you turn up somewhere and have a business meeting you can't make decisions or work you way through issues. It is totally debilitating."

Now he can only use a computer because he has swapped a monitor for a projector and uses an infra-red keyboard.

In the study participants sit surrounded by pyramid-shaped foam which absorbs radio frequencies. The mast sits behind a screen.

Blood pressure and stress levels are monitored while the participants complete basic tasks during four sessions. Neither they nor the researcher knows whether the mast is turned on or off each time.

Dr Stacy Eltiti, of the university's psychology department, said: "Every five minutes we interrupt them and get them to tell us how they are feeling at that time so we can get a picture to see if there are any changes - and we are also doing the physiological measurements continuously."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/4402597.stm

--------

In England testen Freiwillige die Gefahren von Mobilfunkmasten

Nic Fleming, Health Correspondent
(Filed: 13/12/2004)
In einer Übersetzung von Evi Gaigg

Freiwillige wollen sich jetzt einer Serie von Tests als Teil einer Hauptstudie in Sachen Gesundheitsgefährdung durch Mobilfunkantennen unterziehen. Bei den ersten von 264 Leuten werden die Funktionen Aufmerksamkeitspanne und Erinnerungsvermögen getestet, während sie den Signalen eines Mobilfunktransmitters ausgesetzt sind. Das £328,000 teure Forschungsprojekt findet im Electromagnetic und Health Laboratory an der Universität von Essex statt, welches letzten Monat geöffnet wurde, um zu erforschen, wie Menschen durch elektromagnetische Felder (EMFs) betroffen sind.

Die Hälfte der freiwilligen Testpersonen sind Leute, welche berichten, dass sie besonders auf Quellen von EMF empfindlich reagieren. Die anderen bilden eine Kontrollgruppe. Während verschiedener Sitzungen werden sie Signalen von einer laufenden Basisstation, einem neuen 3G-Masten und einem Scheinsender ausgesetzt. Ohne dass man ihnen sagt, welche der drei Anlagen eingeschaltet ist, werden sie eine Reihe von Aufgaben zu erfüllen haben, um die kognitiven Funktionen zu testen.

Dr. Stacy Eltiti, ein ranghöherer Forscher bei diesem Projekt sagte: „Eine Menge Leute sind besorgt über die potenziellen Wirkungen von Mobilfunkmasten auf die Gesundheit.“ Es wird interessant sein zu sehen, ob die Exposition die gleichen Wirkungen auf jedermann haben werden.“

Während vom Hauptharst der wissenschaftlichen Meinung dies nicht akzeptiert wird, glauben einige Forscher, dass Menschen sicher an „Elektrohypersensitivität“ leiden, in einer Weise, die Kopfschmerzen, Übelkeit und Erbrechen durch die EMFs von Computern, Mikrowellen und Mobilfunkmasten verursachen.

Es wird erwartet, dass es über Grossbritannien verteilt, bis zum Ende des nächsten Jahres 50 000 Mobilfunkstationen geben wird, die 50 Millionen Handys im Land versorgen werden, Die meisten Wissenschafter weisen den Gedanken, dass diese Anlagen einen gesundheitsschädigenden Effekt auf die Menschen haben zurück, denn ihre Feldstärken betragen nur einen Bruchteil von jenen in den Sicherheits-Richtlinien.

Nur Wärmeeffekte berücksichtigt

Jedoch sagen die Gegner und einige Forscher, dass die Richtlinien nur die Wärmeeffekte berücksichtigen. Dr. Gerard Hyland, ein früherer medizinischer Leiter an der Warwick Universität sagt: „Die Sicherheitsrichtlinien sind inadäquat, denn sie schauen nur darauf, welche Hitzeeinwirkungen Mikrowellen zeigen.“ „Strahlung, die von der Technologie erzeugt wird, kann Menschen auf viele Arten beeinträchtigen.“

Lisa Oldham, Leiterin der Widerstandsgruppe „Mast Sanity“ sagte: „Wir haben Krebs-Cluster rund um die Masten gefunden, Leukämie, Hodgin, Brustkrebs, nicht zu reden von Symptomen wie Übelkeit, Kopfschmerzen und Nasenbluten. „Die Wissenschafter sagen, es gebe keine schlüssigen Beweise. Und was pflegten sie einst zu sagen über Asbest und Rauchen?“

Forschung wird einmal mehr von der interessierten Industrie bezahlt

Die neue Forschung wird gemeinsam durch die Regierung und die Industrie als Teil der £7.4 Millionen-Forschungsprogramme der Telekommunikations- und der Gesundheits-Forschung gesponsert. Vor 4 Jahren hat ein Komitee unter dem Vorsitz von Sir William Stewart festgehalten: „ Es gibt kein generelles Risiko für die Menschen, die in der Nähe von Basisstationen leben und für solche, die nur einem Teil der in den Richtlinien festgelegten Grenzwerte ausgesetzt sind."

Das Komitee hat dennoch eine Vorsorgemethode für den Gebrauch von Mobiltelefonen und die Mobilfunktechnologie empfohlen und auch für weitere Forschung.

Ein Sprecher der Mobil Operators’s Association behauptete:
Im Februar letzten Jahres, hat die Radiocommunications Agency einen Rechenschaftsbericht zu den Emissionsgrenzwerten für Masten in der Nähe von 82 Schulen und 27 Spitälern ausgearbeitet. Der Stärkste hatte ein 700 fach tieferes Level als der Maximalgrenzwert. (Grenzwert von England. red) Ein Sprecher der Mobil Operators’s Association behauptete: „ Das Abwägen der Beweise zeigt, dass es keine Risiken für die Bevölkerung gibt, die in der Nähe von Basisstationen wohnt.

Die Website http://www.sitefinder.radio.gov.uk kann dazu benutzt werden,um zu sehen, wo in irgendeiner Nachbarschaft in Grossbritannien Mobilfunkstationen stehen. Indem man jeden Mast anklickt, lässt sich die Übertragungsstärke, die Betreibergesellschaft und die Höhe feststellen.

http://www.gigaherz.ch/870/

So this talk about reform of masts is just to get our votes? Well, we knew that anyway. This Government must think the British public is stupid!


EXCLUSION ZONE POLICY TO BE SCRAPPED

This is Exeter

12:00 - 01 April 2005
A policy designed to prevent mobile phone masts being built near some hospitals, schools and homes in Devon is being scrapped. Officials in Mid Devon created a 500-metre mobile phone mast exclusion zone around such buildings because of concerns about the health effects of the structures.

It was to have been included in the next local plan.

But now the rule is being removed after a Government inspector said there was no generally-accepted evidence that suggested masts posed a threat.

Mid Devon District Council has published a report into the inspector's recommendations in which officers agreed its policy is no longer workable.

Councillors must now decide whether to accept this. The report would then be subject to a six-week public consultation period before being adopted, perhaps leading to a rise in the number of phone masts in Mid Devon.

Mid Devon senior planning officer Simon Thornley, said: "We felt that if we continued with the policy, this would result in the Secretary of State directing us not to follow our local plan."

This is deadly serious. I've been unable to think of anything but escaping this country ASAP for the last few days. Can anyone give any more info on this?

Gary



I am beginning to feel the plans the government and the operators have for the new masts on every lamppost covering all frequencies could be the final nail in the very painful death of this country. If we don't band together and arrange some kind of event that gets huge media coverage I believe we could all be doomed.

I will be happy to coordinate a March on Downing Street and believe we should do it before the General Election. I am not political and really do not care who is in power as long as they stop killing us with unneeded radiation.

Can I suggest that all the leaders of the many groups fighting the masts hold an emergency meeting (for I believe we are facing a grave emergency here, that only people power can stop) and see who really is up for the fight? E-mail me at info@emf-solutions.org.uk with the number of bodies you can safely bring along.

I don't believe we can survive and or win fighting one mast here and another there. The time has come to join hands and come out fighting and give our vast knowledge to the masses so that they might join our fight.

Glynn