Written question asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative) on Wednesday, 3 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 November 2004. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Thursday, 11 November 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research he has evaluated on the health effects of electricity pylons.

Answer: Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has evaluated on the health effects of electricity pylons. [196750] Miss Melanie Johnson: At the request of the Department, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has recently undertaken a comprehensive research evaluation of the health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) to support its most recent advice on limiting EMF exposure. This advice was published in March 2004 in the series, "Documents of the NRPB" (Volume 15, No. 2, 2004). NRPB information on extremely low frequency fields (ELF) such as those from power lines was principally drawn from a report on "ELF Electromagnetic Fields and the Risk of Cancer" (2001) by the NRPB's independent advisory group on non-ionising radiation. In providing advice on EMF, the NRPB continually monitors world-wide research and works closely with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and the World Health Organization

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 196750; 426 c871W;426 c875W
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Cancer Health hazards Electric cables Research Electromagnetic fields Pylons
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk