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21 Jun 2007 : Column 2173W—continued
Electromagnetic Fields: Health Hazards
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instigate an official inquiry into the potential effects on health of the roll-out of Wi-Fi technology. [145063]
Caroline Flint: The independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR) undertook a comprehensive assessment of radio waves and health in 2003. Its report, entitled ‘Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields’, was published by the then National Radiological Protection Board (now the Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency (HPA)). Copies are available in the Library and on the HPA web site:
All devices that emit radio waves (such as wireless internet) should be used in compliance with the exposure guidelines published by the International Commission on Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) as specified in the European Recommendation on limiting public exposure to electromagnetic fields (EC/519/1999).
Information about wireless devices and health is available on the Department's web site at:
The Government acknowledge further advice provided by the HPA at:
‘There is no consistent evidence to date that wireless fidelity (WiFi) and wireless local area networks adversely affect the health of the general population. The signals are very low power, typically 0.1 watt (100 milliwatts) in both the computer and the router (access point) and the results so far show exposures are well within internationally accepted (ICNIRP) guidelines. Based on current knowledge and experience, radio frequency (RF) exposures from WiFi are likely to be lower than those from mobile phones. Also, the frequencies used in WiFi are broadly the same as those from traditional RF applications.’
Food: Labelling
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on food labelling. [144585]
Caroline Flint: Food labelling is the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency, which reports to Parliament through health Ministers. The agency is in regular contact with a wide range of stakeholders on a number of food labelling issues.
General Practitioners: West Lancashire
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners per head of population there were in West Lancashire constituency in each year since 1997. [143534]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
| General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)( 1) for specified organisations, as at 1997-2006—England | |||||||||||
| Number (headcount) | |||||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006( 2) | ||
| (1) General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) includes general practitioner (GP) providers and GP others. (2) Mid year 2005 Office for National Statistics population data have been used for the 2006 organisation level calculation of GPs per 100,000. These figures are therefore subject to change. (3) Central Lancashire PCT was formed on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of West Lancashire PCT and Chorley and South Ribble PCT, and the majority of Preston PCT. Note: GP data as at 1 October 1997-99, 30 September 2000-06. Sources: The Information Centre, General and Personal Medical Services Statistics. ONS Population Census. | |||||||||||
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners per head of population there were in West Lancashire in each year since 1997. [144969]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
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