By Steve Bargeton, political editor

MSPs RETURN to the debating chamber at Holyrood today—10 weeks after they were forced to evacuate after a beam broke loose.

At a cost of £30,000, 128 yellow straps have been installed around the end of all 64 struts in the chamber roof to ensure it is not possible for a strut to swing loose from its shoe.

Blue straps have been installed along the length of 17 struts that are required to take tension and four pairs of metal plates have been installed on truss six on either side of the main knuckle joint as this truss is located at the point where forces in the roof converge.

Each pair of plates is clamped using four lengths of threaded rod—one at each corner of the metal plate.

The original strut that swung loose on March 2 has not yet been replaced.

This temporary repair is designed to allow MSPs to use the chamber until the summer recess when a permanent solution to the faulty roof will be carried out before parliament returns in September.

For most of the last 10 weeks plenary sessions of parliament have been held in a converted committee room.

Presiding officer George Reid said, “MSPs will take up their seats again in the debating chamber.

“Their work has pushed ahead in the intervening period as the parliament has got down to the business it is here to do.”