Telecommunications Masts (Planning Control) Bill
This Bill is awaiting its second reading in the commons on the 3rd March 2006 and will be presented by David Curry MP.
What is a 'Private Members Bill' and how does it work?
Individual Members of Parliament (MP's), sometimes referred to as Private Members, have the power to introduce their own legislation under the Private Member's Bill procedure.
Private Members’ Bills are in fact Public bills which have been introduced by a backbench MP and are therefore Bills put before Parliament by individual MPs rather than the Government. There are three ways for private Members to present bills: under the ballot procedure, under the ten-minute rule and by ordinary presentation. The most important is the balloted bill. The mast control bill is a balloted bill.
Each year a ballot is held at the start of the session in the house of commons and the twenty MPs
whose names come out top are allowed to introduce legislation on a subject of their choice.
The six or seven MP's at the top of this list are given time by the Government to have their proposals
discussed in detail in the House. Measures which gain strong cross party support can stand a good chance of becoming law.
-- Back to Top --
How did the bill come about and why it is needed?
The following is a Press Release from Mast Sanity :
The Telecommunications Masts (Planning Control) Bill versions of which were first put forward by Richard Spring MP (Tory), then Andrew Stunnell MP (LibDem) is to have a third attempt at being brought into law by David Curry MP (Tory) with full cross party support. The Bill which will require health to be fully taken into account in all applications for telecom developments will have at its fore the rights of the public to be protected from inappropriate developments affecting their communities, whilst not preventing the appropriate role-out of the infrastructure required for an efficient telecoms system.
Original Author of the Telecoms Bill and Welsh Motion Planning Sanity Director Chris Maile said "This Bill will do much to even the playing field in order that local residents forced to live with the consequences of telecoms developments will have a better say in the permission process. That can only be for the general good of the country.
The primary concern of any Government must be the protection of its citizens, if communities are fearful (even if unjustified) that their health will be at risk, then the Government has a legal and moral obligation to act to positively protect the wider community. This Bill sets out to do just that, leaving the implementation of such protection not to the Government but to backbench MPs." Mast Sanity Spokesperson David Baron said "This Bill has our utmost support. As the nationwide group campaigning for the sensible siting of mobile phone base stations, we are contacted by hundreds of people every week deeply concerned about the prospect of a new mast being erected near to their home or their children’s school.
It has long been our view that a marked imbalance exists in planning law between the commercial interests of the mobile phone operators and the public’s genuinely held fear of health risks associated with emissions from masts situated close to residential properties, schools, nurseries and the like. This Bill presented by David Curry does much to redress this imbalance and to return a modicum of local democracy to the community."
The Bill has wide public support as well as the support of a number of MPs from across the political divide, with a small but growing number of local authorities who have signed motions of support. Amenity and environmental groups are also in the front line of support for this Bill, all that stops it becoming law is if insufficient MPs turn out to vote, or the Government block its passage.
* The following document by MJ Solicitors summarises and explains in simple terms the requirements of the bill regarding health concerns including the rights for landowners. Download Property Update PDF from MJ Solicitors...
-- Back to Top --
What do the Burnley & Pendle MP's say about the bill?
Burnley MP: At a meeting held by Burnley based ''Together Against Masts (TAM)' on January 20th the Burnley MP Kitty Ussher vowed to be in the House and support the cross-party Bill in March (read article).
Pendle MP: The vice-chairman of PRISM along with the Chairman of TAM attended a pre-arranged meeting with the MP for Pendle on Friday the 10th Feb 2006.
At the meeting held in his Labour constituancy, the Labour MP for Pendle Mr Gordon Prentice said he would 'consider' supporting the bill after he'd 'looked into' all the comments put before him at the constituancy meeting on the 10th but could not guarantee he would be in the house on Friday 3rd March to support the bill.
Unfortunately, since the meeting on the 10th Feb, the Pendle MP in a letter to PRISM has confirmed he cannot be in the house on the 3rd March to support the mast control Bill since he has a long-standing engagement to open a shop which he simply cannot cancel.
Although Pendle Borough Council's Chief Executive and all Councillors in Pendle over 12 months ago requested the MP support the Bill, in his letter the MP stated he hasn't yet looked at the details of the Bill.
In concluding his letter, the Pendle MP stated "Even though I cannot be in the Commons on 3 March, I shall have a look at the details of the Curry Bill and see whether I can support it should it pass on the 3 March and go on to the next Parliamentary stage".
This is of little consolation since the bill has little chance of passing to the next stage unless MP's actually turn out on the day to support it. It is clear from his response that the MP hasn't yet read the bill and shall only review it if it passes to the next stage.
A copy of the letter from the Pendle MP is available on request.
-- Back to Top --
If the If the bill is passed, how long will it take before it becomes law?
This depends on several factors: (1) Whether enough MP's appear in the house to make what's called a 'quorum' (40 MP's are needed for a quorum) and (2) there are enough members to support the bill.
For the bill to receive royal assent and become an act of parliamentary law it usually goes through several stages and as such the bill may take 12 months or more before becoming law. A PDF document showing the procedure a 'Private Members Bill' has to go through can be downloaded here at parliament publications... -- Back to Top --
How can I track the progress of the mast planning control bill?
You can track the progress of a Private Members Bill from the website below:
You can actually WATCH the Bill broadcast 'live' in the 'House of Commons' on the 3rd March 2006 by clicking the link below then choosing 'Watch Now' in the 'House of Commons' section:
-- Back to Top --
|
