Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what studies have been carried out to evaluate the effect of 5G on (a) pregnant women, (b) babies and (c) young children.

A considerable amount of research has been carried out on exposure to radio waves over several decades, and evidence reviews have been prepared by scientific expert groups in the United Kingdom and around the world. Among the health topics investigated is whether adverse effects can occur in relation to reproduction and development.

Public Health England (PHE) has published a webpage about exposure to the radio waves from mobile phone base stations, including those for 5G networks, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phone-base-stations-radio-waves-and-health/mobile-phone-base-stations-radio-waves-and-health

Based on the accumulated evidence and reviews, PHE advises that the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) should be adopted and there is no convincing evidence that radio wave exposures below the ICNIRP guideline levels cause adverse health effects. This includes effects in relation to reproduction and development.

PHE has committed to keeping the emerging evidence under review and to preparing another comprehensive review when sufficient new evidence has accumulated.