A delegation from Scotland that went to America to share their experiences of establishing the Scottish Stone Liaison Group (see the previous issue of NSS) has returned with some positive impressions of the Americans.

Alan McKinney, the chief executive of the Scottish Stone Liaison Group (SSLG), said on his return to the UK: "Looking at all the wooden buildings round about I wondered what we were doing there. But I think it was the structure of the SSLG that interested them."

The Americans have the same sort of communication problems in their conservation sector that prompted the Scots to establish the SSLG with its membership of trades, professionals, clients and authorities.

The Americans were interested to see how the Scots had tackled the problem and invited a delegation, led by Historic Scotland, to a conference at the Salve Regina University on Newport Road Island near Boston.

As well as making presentations to the conference the Scots took part in workshops to discuss matters.

"The first workshop I was in I sat back and listened because I wondered what the hidden agenda was; what was in it for them. But there wasn\'t a hidden agenda," says McKinney."Clearly from the experience of my work group they have problems," says McKinney, who was amazed at the level of full and frank discussion. "There was language I had never heard in Scotland. There was an architect versus a stonemason and the mason was giving as good as he was getting. I found it quite stimulating. I got quite stuck into the discussion."

As well as helping the Americans, McKinney believes he learnt a lot from the experience, some of which he believes he can put into practice back home - not least the American approach to raising finance.

And money is an issue with the SSLG. The group was establish with intention of being replaced in three years by the Natural Stone Institute that was launched last year and will hold its first annual general meeting in Edinburgh on 19 September.

However, the Institute is not quite ready yet to replace the SSLG and Alan McKinney has written a paper for the Scottish Executive putting his case for the continued financial support of the SSLG.

The Institute AGM will ratify a constitution and aims and elect offices. "A lot of groundwork has been done, now we need to move on," says McKinney, who is the secretariat for the Institute as well as the SSLG.

The next major activity by the SSLG is a series of seminars from October until April. They are designed for building professionals and clients and will involve an explanation of stone, how it is used, and the lifetime cost benefits of it. They will include workshops to develop debate and discussion. They are all day events recognised for CPD with the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, RICS of Scotland and the Institute of Civil Engineers and will cost an all-inclusive £95.

The programme is:

30 October, Inverness

31 October, Edinburgh

14 November, Dundee

10 December, Edinburgh

6 February, Glasgow (Renfrew)

13 March, Ayr

10 April, Dumfries"