REGARDING changes to the law requiring homeowners to fit multiple interlinked smoke alarms ("Ministers confirm 12-month delay on smoke and fire alarm rules after backlash", The Herald, October 21), one might be forgiven for assuming that there is substantial evidence to justify this. Nothing could be further from the truth. While there is good evidence that having a working smoke alarm in each circulation area of one's home does significantly reduce the likelihood of death and injury from fire, additional alarms do not reduce the risk further. This was proven by extensive research carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) at Garston some years ago.

UK building standards departments chose to ignore the BRE research conclusions and standards for new-build and rented properties were altered to require additional alarms. Over the years, homeowners were quite rightly encouraged to fit smoke detectors and levels of house fires and related deaths have steadily reduced to a statistically low level. Imposing high costs on homeowners to fit unnecessary replacement alarm systems are not justified at any time and the law in question needs to be repealed to avoid widespread rejection by the population of Scotland.

Alan Keith, Castle Douglas.

BOYCOTT CHINA

WE haven't celebrated Hallowe'en yet, but for a month already shops have been ramping up their displays of plastic Christmas junk. It is so lacking in taste and quality that one can only assume it is bought by those who share these traits.

The retailer's public argument for these displays running from October because it brings pleasure is cynical. Profit over three months is the only motive, but at the expense of earth's resources. The stuff is almost exclusively from China, the country that brought you Covid-19. No remorse or apology has been issued by China for the global effects of its negligence, instead it obfuscated the issue.

So, let's make our own small boycott statement by not buying Chinese products wherever possible, starting with the Christmas junk. Unfortunately retailers may be holding stock they had to order far in advance, far in advance of Covid anyway. Any loss they suffer and a hold on orders for next year could be their contribution to such a boycott.

John A Smith, Dunblane.

PAINFUL THOUGHTS

JUST a wee aside to the Scottish Government's recent deliberations on the recommended action to be taken by a person witnessing physical retribution on a recalcitrant youngster.

Being from the generation that faced the belt at school, I am reminded of a teacher I had who took rather a psychological view to corporal punishment as just before he carried out the retribution was fond of quoting the following;

"Pain makes man think,

Thought makes man wise.

Wisdom makes life endurable."

Then....thwack.

Willie Ferguson, Irvine.

HONESTY? NOT FOR ME

BRIAN Beacom is a braver man than yours truly in advocating that honesty is the best policy ("Why honesty is the best policy if you want to be liked", The Herald, October 21), and, while failing short of deliberate misrepresentation, I admit to a sneaky affinity with Robert Burns: “Aye free, aff-han’, your story tell, When wi’ a bosom crony; But still keep something to yousel’, Ye scarcely tell to only” (Epistle to a Young Friend ).

I accept missing out on the universally-popular stakes, but misdeeds, past indiscretions, and a few peccadilloes will remain in the closet.

I am happy to remain the kind of man my dog thinks I am.

R Russell Smith, Kilbirnie.