School mobile masts "pass" government radiation "safety" test

The UK government has said that emissions from mobile phone base stations situated next to UK schools are well below international guidelines.

Results out today from the DTI show that emissions range from many hundreds to many thousands of times below guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

However, Nic Fearon, a spokesperson for the DTI, said: "We're not saying [base stations are] safe - that's not our role. We're just presenting the results."

It was back in 2000 that the Stewart Report recommended base stations near schools be tested as a priority. The DTI tested one hundred sites and will this year continue the programme.

Another 100 tests will be carried out but this time the net will be thrown wider to include other locations such as hospitals.