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By Sarah Left, 2 November 2000 16:45

NEWS The Which? report released today tested five mobile phones with ten hands-free kits and found that radiation was between 50 and 250 per cent higher than when holding the phone to the ear. The distance between the earpiece and the tip of the phone's aerial proved crucial to the amount of radiation absorbed, according to researchers. In some positions, the hands-free kit reduced emissions by up to 98 per cent. But the potential for increased emissions is even higher, and there is no way for users to know the best position for their particular phone/earpiece combination. Thalia Thomas, head of services research at Which?, said the jury is still out on the health effects of mobile phone radiation. She said: "Our advice to consumers is don't rely on a hands-free kit to cut radiation. But we are very clear that there is no definitive answer on the health effects of mobile phone radiation. Consumers need to make up their own minds about that." The CA released a survey in April which found hands-free kits can increase radiation into a user's head by three times, but this conflicted with findings released by the DTI in August. The DTI study found hands-free kits reduce the radiation absorbed by a user's body. The CA claim the DTI results differ because the DTI's tests held the handset at a fixed distance from the earpiece and did not allow the wire of the hands-free kit to hang straight down. Today, the DTI questioned the methodology used in the Consumers Association's tests. A DTI spokesman said: "Our results and methodology still remain entirely consistent with other studies, in particular one conducted by the Australian Consumers Association." Both the DTI and the Consumers Association agreed on the need to establish a standard for testing radiation absorbed from hands-free kit.