ST ANDREW'S DAY - 30th Nov 2011
ST ANDREW THE PATRON SAINT OF SCOTLAND, ROMANIA, RUSSIA, AND GREECE is now recognised by the Scottish Government via the initial proposal by independent Member of the Scottish Parliament Dennis Canavan in 2003 - Mr Canavan's proposal was at first rejected but there is little doubt that his initiative started the ball rolling enough that the then First Minister, Jack McConnell believed in recognising the importance of St Andrew's day and a compromise to Mr Canavan's original Bill was made. Scotland has now recognised that since 2006 St Andrew's day is an official bank holiday.
The Scottish Government regulations say that the "Flag of Scotland", (The Saltire") will be on each flagpole on St Andrew's Day and if the building flying "The Saltire" has another flagpole then you may also see the Union Jack, if the building has only one flagpole then the Union Jack will be removed and replaced with the "Flag of Scotland", (The Saltire).
It should be noted that the British Army refuses to fly the "Flag of Scotland" on St Andrew's Day above Edinburgh Castle, yet in their recruitment literature the Union Jack is replaced by the "Saltire", this has been suggested as hypocritical by the Scottish Government.
