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GOVERMENT REPORTS » THE STEWART REPORT
In 1999, the Government commissioned a group of independent scientists to look into any health threat from mobile phones. In May 2000 the Stewart Report published its findings, Below are the main points.

When the findings were published in 2000, the Stewart Report found no known health problems caused by mobile phones, but still advised caution especially among the young. This report advised that gaps in our current knowledge mean we should take a "precautionary approach" to phone use. For adults this means using our phones for limited amounts of time. For children the advice was much stronger. The Stewart Report recommends that under-16s use their phones only for essential calls. £7.4 million has now been invested in scientific research to investigate the effects of mobile phones.

•	There is no evidence of adverse health effects caused by radio wave radiation at current national safety limits. But gaps in current knowledge mean mobile phones cannot be classed as 'safe' yet
•	Radio waves may affect biological cells but this may not necessarily lead to disease or injury
•	Children should be especially careful about mobile phone use. Their skulls are still growing, so it is easier for radio waves from a mobile phone to enter their heads. Their cells are also developing and tend to absorb more radiation compared to adults. This is especially important in brain tissue, as the nervous system is very sensitive during development. Children should only use mobiles for short, essential calls
•	Mobile phone manufacturers must publish the amount of radio wave energy that each handset transmits to the human body, called the SAR(Specific Absorption Rate) value
•	There is no evidence of a risk to the health of people living near to base stations, but emissions should be monitored, especially near schools
•	All new base stations should be subject to planning permission
•	Drivers should be dissuaded from using either hand-held or hands-free phones whilst on the move. The level of effectiveness of hands free kits to reduce the SAR value is still uncertain further research is being carried out

A further report by the Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation said in 2004 that there is no evidence that mobile phones harm health. But, backing up the Stewart Report, it also argued that more research was needed before there could be absolute certainty about the risk.



THE CONCLUSION OF THE STEWART REPORT
“The balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near base stations, on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines”.



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