Mobile phone safety advice issued by government

The government will today announce safety precautions to protect the public from the possible hazards of mobile phones.

The government will today announce safety precautions to protect the public from the possible hazards of mobile phones.

The measures are expected to reflect recommendations made in a report on mobile phones and health earlier this year.

Today's measures are expected to include a multi-million pound programme of research, an audit of mobile phone base stations, and possibly advice leaflets for the public.

In addition, there might be recommendations for clearer warning signs around base stations. The Government has said it is considering making it a requirement that full planning permission be granted for all new telecommunication masts.

The Government may also be taking forward further proposals to protect children and parents from emissions from base stations sited in and around schools.

The Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones led by Sir William Stewart found no proof of a health risk from mobiles, but did find "preliminary evidence" that mobile phone radiation might cause "subtle biological changes".

The group therefore advised a precautionary approach until better scientific information was available.

In response, the Government agreed that international guidelines for emissions from mobile phones and base stations should be adopted in the UK. However, these would not have to be enshrined in new laws.

The Government also agreed that manufacturers should ensure that customers know the SAR values of the handsets they are buying. SAR, or Specific Absorption Rate, measures the rate at which mobile phone radiation is absorbed by the body.

Both these measures may feature in today's measures, which follow discussions with industry, consumer groups and scientists.