RAF Fylingdales has helped maintain world peace for 40 years by keeping an ear on our enemies, the politicians like to tell us. Those who question the base's role are told: it is for your own good.

This supercilious attitude is no longer acceptable. We are more informed, and less scared than we were at the height of the Cold War when Fylingdales started listening. Political assessments of the security threat are no longer taken as gospel, hence the continued scepticism about Britain's decision to invade Iraq.

Today the public expects our state institutions to be accountable. That includes military installations. Accepting that a spy base cannot reveal all its secrets, we nevertheless demand considered answers to genuine concerns.

We are still waiting on Son Of Star Wars. The Government's decision to allow the USA to use RAF Fylingdales as part of its missile defence programme caused uproar. When the people of North Yorkshire protested that this would make the area a prime terrorist target we were told: this is for your own good.

Now a prominent US Air Force scientist has suggested that Fylingdales poses another threat to its neighbours. He fears the radiation emitted by the base could cause cancer.

Dr Richard Albanese should be taken seriously. One of the team which linked Agent Orange to cancer, he is now running an investigation into a cancer cluster near an air force base at Cape Cod.

The Government will point out that Fylingdales radiation levels are within legal limits. But the point at issue is whether those limits should be changed.

Ministers are concerned enough about the potential carcinogenic properties of mobile phone transmission masts to commission detailed research: yet the emissions from Fylingdales - powerful enough to activate car immobilisers - are likely to be many times greater.

There is no evidence that the RAF base is causing cancer. That is because no research has been done. Ministers should order an inquiry, for their own good - and ours.

Updated: 10:41 Monday, June 02, 2003