Lorely Listens 6th March 2006

Written by Lorely Burt MP and published in Solihull Times on Mon 6th Mar 2006

Last Friday was a double disaster day for local democracy in Parliament. Lorely's Law was listed for its second reading, but before it David Curry's Telecommunications Masts Bill was to be discussed.

The Government 'talked out' David's Bill, in other words the Minister was still speaking at the end of the session, so it was put off for another day. And since that Bill was up for discussion before Lorely's Law, there was no opportunity to discuss that at all.

Five hours waiting on a Friday when I'm normally here in Solihull and a lot of work and preparation all down the 'Swanny'. What sort of a Parliamentary system is this? It's farcical.

The talking out of the Telecommunications Bill was also a loss. This would have meant that every mast, regardless of height, would have to have its own independent assessment of direction and strength of non-ionising radiation: a 'precautionary principle statement'.

With the number of masts set to quadruple over the next few years, it is clear that these issues will not go away. People feel cheated and helpless in the face of incessant demands from mobile phone operators to erect their masts like unwelcome mushrooms popping up around our homes, schools and hospitals.

My Parks and Windfall Development Bill, which gives greater power to local people over planning decisions in their area is back up for discussion on the 20th October. Expect some further campaigning action before then though: there's more than one way to skin a cat.