Members from all UK political parties are beginning to voice health concerns about mobile phone masts near homes and schools.
Zac Goldsmith, Conservative Member of Parliament for Richmond Park & North Kingston recently objected to the application of a phone mast near schools in his constituency, citing unknown health risks and the presence of several nearby schools.
His colleagues Edward Timpson, Conservative MP for Crew and Nantwich and Lib Dem MP Mark Hunter along with Bramhall Councillor Helen Foster-Grime also believe in the precautionary principle raising concerns about phone masts in Parliament this week. Bill Esterson, MP for Central Labour Party recently joined his colleague Tom Watson, Labour MP in a debate about health concerns and mobile phones.
Edward Timpson (Crewe and Nantwich, Conservative)
In both Nantwich and Crewe, and in the surrounding rural areas, many people feel strongly that the current planning system is not on their side, particularly when it comes to wind turbines, mobile phone masts and overdevelopment. Can my right hon. Friend tell me what the Government are doing to improve the situation?
Nicholas Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat)
The basic principle is that we want people to feel that they have a stake in the planning system rather than feeling that things are being done to them. That is why, in the Localism Bill and in further measures that we wish to take, we are introducing new powers enabling local communities and neighbourhoods to determine for themselves what kind of decisions they want to be pursued in their areas, if necessary by triggering local referendums. For too long planning has been obscure, difficult to understand, very technocratic and highly over-centralised, and that is what we will be trying to change in the coming years.