Mobile Telephone Masts<br />(Residential Areas) (PE924)
The second item on our agenda is PE924, by the Cumbernauld mast relocation group. The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to ban the siting of third-generation and terrestrial trunked radio masts in residential areas until all the evidence that suggests that they are a health risk has been examined by Parliament.
I am happy to go along with the course of action that you suggest, convener. We have discussed such issues at previous meetings, and I hope that we will take the petition into consideration as we work on the bill. The petitioners' main concerns are to do with health. I hope that the clerks will make health evidence available to the committee so that we can take it fully into consideration when we make our recommendations on the principles of the Planning etc (Scotland) Bill.
I agree. Although we can consider the petition and one or two others, and can bear in mind the issues that they raise, the bill is not really the right place in which to introduce regulation for a specific type of development. The right place would be in Scottish planning policies. Can we find out from the Executive whether there will be a specific SPP to deal with telecommunications and, if so, when that might be expected?
I have just been told that there is one. However, we will have to pursue the points that both members make with the minister when he or she comes to give evidence to the committee.