THE Government's bungling over the contaminated baby milk scare has been exposed by the manufacturers' decision to ignore a ministerial secrecy decree and name the brands affected, Labour claimed today.

Shadow Consumer Minister Nigel Griffiths welcomed the decision by three companies - SMA Nutrition, Cow and Gate, and Milupa - to ignore the Government's policy of secrecy and identify the brands where phthalates had been detected.

And he urged a fourth firm, Heinz-owned Farley, to join them in coming clean about which of its brands had low levels of the chemical which may lower the sperm counts of adults fed it as babies. SMA has revealed that Edinburgh scientist Dr Richard Sharpe detected the chemicals in its Gold and White brands, Cow and Gate its Premium and Plus products, and Milupa its Aptamil and Milumil milks.

Dr Sharpe claims there is no risk to boy babies as the levels of phthalates are far below those which affected sperm counts or caused sex changes in laboratory animals.

But Mr Griffiths believes the decision by the manufacturers to come clean shows up the Government bungling and how its obsession with secrecy has made the crisis worse.

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