Former culture minister Michael McGimpsey said he believed the spy ring had "penetrated to the very heart of the security situation in the Northern Ireland Office".
But he said the Government's change of heart on the reserve power to "electrify the ring fence" was good politics but bad economics that would lead to even less lending.
Short ring fingers did not necessarily mean that boys would go on to have heart attacks, but should alert their parents to do what they can to lessen the risk.