A PARLIAMENTARY bill to introduce tighter controls on mobile phone masts, backed by hundreds of Bexley residents, has run out of time in the House of Commons.

The Telecommunications Mast (Planning Consent) Bill was a Private Members Bill proposed by the Tory MP for Skipton and Ripon, David Curry, and was being proposed for a Second Reading before it ran out of time on March 3.

Although it was supported, in principle, by MPs of all political parties it did not have Government backing.

Bexleyheath and Crayford MP David Evennett was one of the bill's supporters and on the same day as the debate in the House of Commons, he and Mr Curry received a petition of more than 750 Bexley residents calling on the Government and MPs to back the bill.

The petition was organised by residents' group Orange Squash, which is campaigning against masts being sited near schools and other sensitive sites.

During the debate Mr Evennett highlighted the situation of residents in areas of Bexley such as Iris Road, West Heath Road and Woolwich Road, who have been fighting off multiple attempts by different operators to site mobile phone masts in their streets.

He said: "That creates worry for residents and means they have to give up a lot of their time in being vigilant.

"These masts are not only an eyesore and a nuisance, but a potential health risk.

"I welcome the opportunity the bill gives us to discuss how we could make masts subject to the full planning application."

But junior minister at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, told the house all the evidence showed there was no risk to health from mobile phone masts, although it was being kept under continuing review.

He said the Government had just published the results of its review on planning procedures and although a code of best practice for phone companies was working well, the Government was looking to improve it.

He added: "The Government thinks there is still more to do. I can assure the house we are looking at this issue closely.

"The Government recognises this issue will not go away.

"This is why it is so critical any changes we make to the planning arrangements are effective and proportionate in the longer term."