'Intensive' checks made on Scottish tower blocks

The Scottish government has said it is working "intensively" with councils to establish the safety of high rise flats.

It wants to know if any are covered in the type of cladding used on Grenfell Tower in London.

Ministers said no aluminium composite material has been used on cladding in local authority high-rise dwellings.

But they said work is continuing to provide a "complete" picture for all high-rise flats in Scotland.

Some blocks are not owned by local authorities.

Cladding is thought to have contributed to the rapid spread of fire at Grenfell Tower, in which at least 79 people are believed to have died.

Communities Secretary Angela Constance said: "Scottish building regulations state that cladding on high rise domestic buildings built since 2005, and cladding added to existing high rise domestic buildings since 2005, should be made of non-combustible materials or a cladding system that has met stringent fire tests.

"External cladding on high rise domestic buildings built before 2005 has to meet a Class 0 classification which was the most demanding anti-flame spread classification at that time.

"We have confirmation from all local authorities that aluminium composite material has not been used in the cladding of their high rise domestic buildings."

She added: "We are working intensively with local authorities to complete the picture for all high rise domestic buildings, including those that are privately owned, as quickly as possible."