BEARING in mind the relevance of the Grenfell tragedy to the new legislation being churned out of Holyrood regarding linked domestic fire alarm systems (Letters, October 13, 15, 22, 24 & 27), it beggars belief that the common spaces and stairwells of blocks of flats and tenements are specifically exempted from needing alarms.
My own block of flats has five storeys, one stairwell and a front door. The only other means of egress is to jump from the balcony which is only possible if you are a Marvel Superhero. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
David J Crawford, Glasgow G12.
I WAS interested in the letter from Neil Sinclair (October 27). My first inclination on considering this legislation was to ask our local fire brigade to call and offer their thoughts on our needs. We have had several visits by them, including one after midnight to change a battery as we were unable to do so. However, I found that they were unable to do home visits at the moment and discovered on going onto their website that we were not in the "vulnerable category".
In view of this, as I have already suggested, this does not appear to have been thought through before the legislation was passed. I understand similar legislation has been implemented by Westminster.
It once again raises the question of seeking advice outside Parliament from people living in the real world.
Ian Turner, Bearsden.
RIGHT ARE FROZEN OUT
THE confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as a justice of the US Supreme Court raises uncomfortable questions about academia, the judiciary and politics in our country.
Could someone of Mrs Barrett’s socially conservative Christian views become a professor of law in one of our universities? Of course not. Our universities are anything but liberal in the true meaning of the word, so they do not tolerate academics of other than left-wing views.
Could an openly socially conservative Christian be appointed to our Supreme Court? Again, the answer is a firm no. Such a person would be prevented from getting on the judicial career ladder at all.
Why does the House of Commons not have public confirmation hearings before judges are appointed to the Supreme Court? Similarly, Holyrood for appointments to the Inner House of the Court of Session? If they did then we might in time have a judiciary more in tune with public opinion rather than the progressive views of North London and Edinburgh New Town lawyers.
Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife.
SHELL-SHOCKED
THE news that a tortoise was found dumped (“Tortoise dumped in box at recycling site”, The Herald, October 28), brought back a painful and disturbing early childhood memory of the day many years ago when I found my companion Billy motionless and buried him/her in the garden.
The mystery of tortoise hibernation was unknown to me, and I sometimes wonder if the Grim Tortoise Reaper had called or if I had deprived my little friend of many decades of happy activity.
Fortunately this week’s Billy has had better luck and is recovering in an Edinburgh rescue centre.
R Russell Smith, Kilbirnie.
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