Historic Buildings (Restoration) (Hansard, 22 November 1995)

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

Since these are matters for Historic Scotland, I have asked the agency's chief executive, Mr. Graeme Munro, to write to the hon. Member as soon as possible. A copy of Mr. Munro's letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

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Letter from Graeme N. Munro to Mr. Gordon Prentice dated 22 November 1995: I have been asked to reply to your question to the Secretary of State for Scotland on the steps being taken to ensure the continuing supply of Scottish slate and other traditional building materials for use on Scotland's historic buildings. As you will appreciate, this is a topic which greatly concerns us in Historic Scotland and a considerable amount of work is presently being devoted to it. Where necessary, we are working in conjunction with colleagues in Scottish Enterprise and other organisations to address the issues involved. To undertake effective conservation and the authentic restoration of Scotland's built heritage, it is critical that properly trained craftsmen have appropriate traditional building materials at their disposal. Through an integrated approach, Historic Scotland aims to encourage industry, material suppliers, and the education and training providers, to achieve this objective. In 1993, Historic Scotland established a Technical Conservation, Research and Education Division. The Division is charged with the responsibility of conducting or commissioning research into technical conservation issues, developing skills relating to the built heritage, and raising the standard of conservation practice among owners, contractors, professional groups and craftsmen. If we are successfully to encourage the revival of key supply industries there is a need to investigate the supply of traditional building materials. As a result, a number of related studies are currently underway. To obtain a comprehensive overview of Scottish stone supplies, and their potential for use in future conservation and restoration projects, a strategic study has been commissioned. This will involve examining ways in which the Scottish stone industry might arrest the decline in the use of indigenous stone, and give pointers to how this trend might be reversed. As no slate has been produced in Scotland since the early 1950s a major geological study into Scottish slate reserves has been commissioned from Glasgow University. A separate study by Dundee University will try to quantify the extent of change which has taken place through the use of alternative roof covering materials. Both studies aim to provide Historic Scotland with a strategic overview of the issues involved and with information which will assist decision makers and specifiers on the available, and future, potential for Scottish slate. Over recent years there has been a steadily increasing awareness of the significant damage being caused to historic buildings as a result of the inappropriate use of cement in repair work. Whilst a number of Scottish outlets still produce lime, none of that is readily available for use in building conservation work. To assess the quality of what is to hand, Historic Scotland has commissioned a scientific analysis of lime from 15 locations around Scotland. This information will be used to encourage industry to restart lime burning and slaking. If successful, this will greatly enhance the ability of specifiers to choose the correct material to undertake sensitive repairs on the exterior and interior of historic buildings. To assist in this process, Historic Scotland has recently published 3 relevant technical publications—

Preparation and Use of Lime Mortars—Technical Advice Note 1
Conservation of Plasterwork—Technical Advice Note 2
The Repair of Historic Buildings in Scotland

Supplementary publications, promoting the results of case studies into traditional lime harling and a Technical Advice Note on lime washing are also planned.As part of the associated education process, Historic Scotland recently held a successful international conference on lime. This attracted 170 delegates, with representatives from 15 different countries and was warmly received by practitioners and industry representatives alike.167WWith a greater researched awareness of Scottish traditional building details has come a fuller understanding of the widespread use of earth and clay as an indigenous building material. Currently, Historic Scotland is researching this area with a view to producing a further technical publication. Our plan is that this should be launched at an international conference on the topic, due to be held at Dundee University in August 1996, in conjunction with the ICOMOS Out of Earth conference series.A similar increasing understanding of the wide variety of natural materials used in traditional Scottish thatching techniques has steadily developed in recent years. Much of this information has been rediscovered as a result of grant-aiding the repair of thatched buildings around the country under Historic Scotland's Historic Building Repair Grant Scheme. Presently, research is underway to analyse the practical aspects of these projects, and to link this to an increased historic understanding. The intention is to produce a Technical Advice Note on Scottish Thatch and Thatching Techniques by the end of 1995 this year.In taking a key role in the promotion of the need to use appropriate traditional materials, Historic Scotland is playing a major part through its Historic Buildings Repair Grant Scheme to pump prime the industry in this area. With repair and maintenance output in Scotland now amounting to over 40% of all construction spend in Scotland, this input has considerable influence. By promoting the results of its research programmes through publications, conferences, seminars and lectures, Historic Scotland also aims to take forward with industry, the professions, and the education and training providers, an integrated approach to the future development and use of Scottish traditional building materials.