Changes to Flag Flying guidance: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/01221
Date received: 26 March 2018
Date responded: 22 May 2018

Information requested

1. There are only minor changes on versions 1 through 22, why were there such significant changes on version 23?
(For background, there were 15 instances of the Saltire/Union Jack combination (UJ Superior) in version 22. There is only 1 Saltire/Union Jack instance in version 23).

2. On both versions 22 & 23 the key for SAH has 4 flags in the box; does this represent the 4 flagpoles at SAH?

3. Which position/team member on the organogram you supplied previously, took the decision to significantly alter the guidance between versions 22 & 23?

4. If the decision was from a position outside the department, which position was it?

5. Was there any internal department sign-off and if so from which position?

6. Was there any external ministerial (or other external) sign-off?

7. In a published FOI response to another party (below) the following statement was made in relation to the flying if the UJ - "This has not changed since 2010"

If correct this means that SAH did not fly the UJ in line with all versions of the guidance from 2010 through to version 22, which clearly shows the UJ was to be flown. Was the original FOI response below therefore in error?

/publications/foi-18-00426/

Response

1. At the start of this year in line with normal practice, the operational guidance was updated to ensure it better reflected the practice that has been in place since 2010.

2. No.

3. 4 & 5. The Deputy Director of the Division within which Protocol & Honours team sit, approved the updating of the operational guidance.

6. Scottish Ministers had no role in the updating of the guidance as there was no change in policy.

7. St Andrew's House flew the Royal Banner of Scotland to mark Royal anniversaries and events. The published FOI response was not published in error.

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