§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give guidance to local authorities and other public bodies that all slate used in the public sector should conform to BSI 680.
§ Sir George YoungThis Department's model standing orders for local authority contracts advise that where an appropriate British Standard is current for a particular material, only products complying with the BS specification should be used and the Property Services Agency in its general specification stipulates the use of natural slate conforming to BS 680. Also the Department's Building Research Establishment recommends inquirers to use natural slate meeting the BS specification in most circumstances.