14. There has been concern over recent years about whether mobile communications masts and handsets could be dangerous to health. A number of reviews have been carried out and further research is underway. We asked how far this research had progressed and how matters now stood. The Home Office told us that it was addressing all of the recommendations made by previous reviews and monitoring the outcome of current research. Initial results had indicated that the rate of absorption by the human body of the radio frequencies used by Airwave terminals was well within international safety guidelines. As Airwave was only now being rolled out, the research had been limited to experimental work in the laboratory prior to a final trial that would be part of a much wider programme of research on mobile phones.12
15. The Home Office also told us that police authorities, as employers, would have to meet their obligations to protect the health of police officers under health and safety legislation. 02, as suppliers of the technology, would have to meet all health standards. If the outcome of the research led to changes to those health standards, then changes would have to be made to the Airwave system. Where the cost of any changes would fall would depend on the circumstances. If international health standards changed, the Home Office's first response would be to approach 02 to see whether the system could be changed to be consistent with those standards. The main danger from mobile phones appeared to arise more from existing analogue systems than with digital systems, such as Airwave. Nonetheless, if new health standards were set, changes to the Airwave contract might need to be negotiated.13
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12 C&AG's Report, paras 3.23-3.25; Qq 236-250, 251; Ev 25-27
13 Qq 264-265