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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will discuss with mobile telephone operators the potential for using mobile phone masts to disseminate warnings of severe weather or other disasters that require localised warning messages. [209140] Mr. Morley: The Environment Agency is responsible for developing and operating the service to warn of possible flooding from watercourses and the sea in England. It is technically feasible to use mobile phone network providers to disseminate localised warning messages, but certain agreements and procedures would be required. I understand the agency is discussing this possibility with mobile phone network providers. Additionally, the agency will introduce Floodline Warnings Direct later this year. The £9.4 million warning system will enable the agency to use a range of new channels and technologies to simultaneously warn more homeowners, businesses, emergency services and local authorities of the threat of flooding. It will be the country's first multi-channel warning system and will exploit current and emerging technologies to deliver warning messages simultaneously via telephone, mobile phone, pager, e-mail and fax and, in due course, SMS text messaging, digital TV and radio. Members of the public who choose to receive the new service will be able to elect to receive warning messages via their mobile phones (voice and/or text) if they provide the agency with their contact numbers.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

209140; 430 c339-40W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Aerials Floods Mobile phones Weather Warnings

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk