CONTROVERSY over 700 TETRA masts—the proposed new communications system for the police and other emergency services across Scotland—reached the Scottish Parliament last night when calls were made for a moratorium on the roll-out of TETRA techno-logy.

The issue was brought before Parliament by the Green Party’s environment speaker Mark Ruskell in response to growing concerns about the potential health effects of TETRA masts.

The Greens have asked Angus Council to delay its decision on an application for a mast on the former grain tower in Alfred Street, Montrose, until the findings of a Westminster Government inquiry into the technology.

Meanwhile, councillors in east Fife recently stalled nine planning applications for six months because they are so concerned about the potential health effects.

Speaking in last night’s debate, North East Fife Lib Dem MSP Iain Smith called for any decisions to erect TETRA masts to be delayed until the results of research into the health implications are known.

He said, “It seems to me bizarre and premature that the Home Office is pressing ahead with this new system before the results of the research that they themselves have commissioned are known.

“If there are sufficient concerns to merit the research, surely there are sufficient concerns to require that we get the results before going ahead.”

Mid Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Ted Brocklebank also spoke of his concerns.

He said safety must be paramount in all deliberations. He said no one could give a categoric assurance that microwave radiation may not in certain circumstances have adverse effects on health. He said it was essential that the very best scientific advice available was taken with careful monitoring of any possible future impact.

He challenged the Executive, however, to carry out a survey on all existing TETRA masts—public and private—throughout Scotland by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health to obtain accurate information on radiation emitted in all climatic conditions.

Mr Brocklebank noted that around 1000 TETRA public network masts were already in situ throughout the UK. In Fife there is already one on Drumcarrow Hill near St Andrews and others in Dundee, near Perth, near Abernethy and one between Glenfarg and Milnathort.

He said they were owned and operated by Inquam Telecom. Most have been there for up to four years. There may be other private operators.

He noted that all eight Scottish police forces favour TETRA technology. They believe it is safer and it is also much more efficient than existing methods of communication which, because of lack of coverage and poor transmission, can mean officers are often isolated and their safety compromised.

There have been reports of complaints from 170 police officers in Lancashire about symptoms they claim to have experienced since TETRA was introduced in their force. Some claim to have suffered deafness, while migraines, nausea and body warming have also been cited. He said it was also true that people living near TETRA masts have complained of cancer clusters and other ailments.

As a result of public concern in this country and elsewhere and because scientific research is still ongoing, the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection ICNIRP had set standards with very wide safety margins—at least 50 times below the level at which it is believed any adverse health effect can occur. Handsets and transmitters comply with these guidelines, the latter by hundreds if not thousands of times.

However, First Minister Jack McConnell yesterday ruled out using the Executive’s planning powers to halt the spread of controversial Tetra masts.

At question time, Scottish Green leader Robin Harper said there were fears over the safety of the frequency used by the communication systems carried on the masts.

Mr McConnell said that he was aware of the issue and believed Mr Harper’s concerns to be “genuine.” But he added that the current research did not support the concerns raised.

Mr Harper asked the First Minister is he would use the Executive’s powers over planning permission to put a moratorium on the spread of the masts. Mr McConnell said he would not be doing that.