Tuesday, 22nd April 2008
New EU laws could silence bagpipes in Scotland
Conservative Euro-MP Struan Stevenson has spoken out against “daft” new EU laws that could silence bagpipes in Scotland for the first time since Culloden.
Speaking in Strasbourg, he said:
“Although we have very tough noise regulations in the UK, the EU Commission has now brought in even tougher laws, reducing the maximum noise exposure limit levels from 90 decibels to 87. Because decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, this difference of three decibels means a reduction of 50%.
“A set of bagpipes can reach 130 decibels when played. The directive, which is aimed at protecting employees, will mean that anyone playing in a pipe band would have to wear earplugs to comply with this daft directive.
“We in Scotland have a proud tradition of bagpipe playing, from world famous events such as the Edinburgh Tattoo, to Burns suppers and weddings, to international sporting events. Imagine how Flower of Scotland would sound played at Murrayfield on a muted tape rather than by Queen Victoria’s school from Dunblane on their bagpipes.
“We have a duty to do everything we can to ensure that our pipers can keep on piping, despite the new directive. Otherwise, the skirl of the pipes may be consigned to history."
