St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday

Summary of Responses and Conclusions

St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday Consultation

General

In total 142 parties responded to the consultation. (It is noted that 9 further submissions have been received since the initial figure of 133 was included in the Statement of Reasons considered by the Audit Committee on 30 November.) Overall responses to the proposed Bill were positive with 75% indicating support, 4% giving partial support and another 6% agreeing with the proposed Bill as long as certain conditions are met/considered. A total of 85% therefore indicated general support for the Bill. Only 8 responses (6%) to the consultation disagreed fully with the proposals and the remaining 9% were either unsure or made no comment1. The following chart shows the level of support in detail.

Breakdown of Responses

In Support 6% 6% Partial Support 3%

6% Conditional Support 4% Unsure

No Comment

75% Against

The 142 respondents were made up of the following groups and organisations: 39 political, 33 individuals, 17 local authorities, 21 religious, 12 unions/professional associations, 9 business, 3 education, 4 cultural/interest groups, 1 equal opportunities group, 1 community council, 1 association of community councils and 1 legal body2.

Virtually all of the responses from individuals supported the proposal. The vast majority of elected politicians who responded expressed support for the proposal. Although a majority of local authority responses were in favour, some of them referred to difficulties which might arise. There was strong

1 Percentages subject to rounding 2 See Annex A for a complete list of respondents

1 St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday support from the Scottish Trades Union Congress and individual trade unions but the business community was more divided. The CBI reported that there was not great support for the proposal amongst its members. However, some other submissions from the business sector were in favour. Some of the strongest support for the proposal came from religious leaders and organisations, including the Church of Scotland’s Committee on Church and Nation; the Scottish Episcopal Church’s College of Bishops; Cardinal Keith O’Brien and other members of the Catholic Hierarchy of Scotland; and the Scottish Inter Faith Council, which includes representatives from Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Baha’i, Buddhist and Sikh communities in Scotland.

The contents of the responses varied. A number of responses (approximately 25%) did not go into great detail but offered statements of encouragement such as ‘good luck!’ or more simply ‘I agree’. A few responses simply indicated their disagreement with no further explanation or explained that they were ‘unable to comment’.

Conversely, many respondents engaged fully with the consultation exercise and tackled the questions directly. As a result it has been possible to extract a good amount of relevant qualitative information from the responses which the following analysis will group together.

This analysis will address each question from the consultation document and will summarise the main arguments and level of support as a conclusion.

(1) What would be the benefits of establishing a St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday in Scotland?

Most respondents could see some benefit with establishing a ‘St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday’ in Scotland. Only 5 respondents said explicitly there would be no benefit of such a day.

The consultation document gave a detailed comparison of UK public holidays with the rest of the EU. Nine respondents were concerned about this issue and felt that an additional holiday would help to ‘close the gap’ and allow Scotland to ‘gain parity’ with the amount of public holidays received by workers in other countries within the EU. The STUC felt that this would be a ‘positive step in the right direction’.

Eight respondents saw the additional holiday as an opportunity to celebrate a ‘National Day’. Such a concept was seen by some to be ‘common across the world’ and a possible way of recognising the diversity as well as the unity of the nation.

Ten respondents felt that the celebration of St Andrew’s Day could lead to an increased ‘sense of national identity’. This was argued by some to be important as it would highlight and offer a chance to reflect on the diversity of the Scottish people.

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This concept of diversity was a concurrent theme throughout the responses to the consultation. Many respondents explained that Scotland has a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural make up and that a national holiday would allow a celebration of this diversity and, as argued by some, a sense of ‘unity’ to be shared by all the people of Scotland.

Some religious individuals/organisations saw a St Andrew’s Day Holiday as an opportunity for Scotland and other countries to acknowledge Scotland’s roots in Christianity. One organisation felt that the ‘nation can express itself’ but also have time for ‘religious observance’. The question of whether the celebration of a Christian saint would possibly not appeal to people of other faiths was addressed by some parties in response to question 3 and will therefore be dealt with later.

Some respondents, in response to question 1, said the holiday would promote Scotland and boost the economy. However, most arguments on these issues were given to question 4 and will be addressed later.

In essence those respondents who answered this question felt that a national holiday would be a celebration of the diversity of Scotland and would be positive for Scotland and its image worldwide. Closing the ‘public holiday gap’ between the UK and the rest of the EU was another popular reason for establishing an additional holiday.

(2) What are the problems, if any, that might arise from establishing a St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday in Scotland?

There was a good number of responses to this question and the information given has allowed this section to be divided into the, main, ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments.

No problem

Three respondents felt there would be no problems with establishing a St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday and two argued that an additional holiday would create no more problems than any other bank holiday. The New Brunswick Scottish Cultural Association stressed it would be more negative not to establish the holiday.

Unjustified employer resistance

Two respondents felt that an additional holiday would be met with hostility by employers but that this would be ‘unjustified’. UNISON stressed that the holiday would need to be a ‘national holiday’ so that participation would be wide enough to lessen fears of competitive (dis)advantage. They added:

“…there are already different bank holidays across the UK – with Northern Ireland actually having…more…than everyone else, so this should not have a serious impact on [Scotland]…”

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The National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) were fearful of ‘unscrupulous employers’ who may encapsulate all bank and public holidays into a 4 week holiday entitlement. They felt legislation would require ‘tightening’ to prevent this occurring. (However, the Scottish Parliament might experience difficulty with the competence of such legislation as employment is a reserved matter.)

North Lanarkshire Council, who expressed general support for the proposed Bill, suggested that an additional holiday might cause disruption to some businesses but added:

“…there is no evidence that this [disruption] would have any substantial negative impact on overall productivity and it may be that increased leisure time would lead to a more effective workforce.”

Christmas holidays

One individual commented that the only likely objection would be that St Andrew’s Day is ‘a mere 25 days before Christmas Day’ but felt that such an objection was not sustainable. Other respondents in response to question 4 commented on this issue. These arguments will be addressed later.

The main problems envisaged by those respondents who were concerned about the effects of the proposal centred on the following issues.

Disruption to learning

The Association of Scottish Colleges supported the proposal but voiced concern over the possible disruption to students’ learning programmes if an additional holiday was established. They noted that for some colleges ‘another Monday holiday’ would affect day release classes and that a ‘Friday holiday’ could impact on Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) contracts. However, they did not expand further on this issue.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) also supported the proposal but commented on the existence of statutory provisions that define the length of the school year for pupils as 190 days. They felt that the consultation was unclear on whether these provisions would be altered if the Bill is passed.

Holiday will not apply to everyone

Some respondents felt that the benefits of an additional holiday would not be available to everyone as some people will still be required to work to ensure that certain services are available. Some organisations, however, suggested that alternative arrangements, although equating to an extra financial burden, could be arranged for staff affected in this way.

A few respondents felt the celebration of St Andrew’s Day might not appeal to people who do not believe in Christianity. However, the Scottish Inter Faith

4 St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday

Council hoped that it would be a focus for all faiths and cultures embraced in Scottish society.

The EIS felt that an additional holiday would not have immediate benefits to teachers as the holiday would ‘merely take one day from teachers leave entitlement and add one to the list of existing public holidays’, this being a factor of teachers’ holiday arrangements based on a ‘balance of days beyond the teacher’s working year’.

Renfrewshire Council expressed the following concern:

“…the law does not oblige employers to give employees a holiday on bank holidays…[therefore]…local authorities may…be put at a competitive disadvantage should they grant an additional bank holiday for their employees whilst other employers may not.”

Effect on business

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) stated that a ‘broad cross-section’ of their members do not support the proposed Bill. Three reasons were given in justification of this position:

· An additional holiday would go against the harmonisation of Scottish and English bank holidays; · Employers can broadly decide ‘time off’ themselves and this works well because it meets the needs of employers and employees whilst minimising disruption; · Many EU countries with more public holidays than the UK also have much higher levels of unemployment.

The CBI also indicated that some companies were supportive of the idea of a St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday if it replaces an existing bank holiday.

The Scottish Retail Consortium stated that the majority of retailers feel that bank holidays are good for retail and believe that there is room for more public holidays in the calendar.

The Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers felt the proposed Bill would have problems for the banking sector in the following way. A bank holiday would mean ‘banking transactions suspended without penalty’ and this has had issues in the past for Scottish banks. To rectify these problems Scottish banks recently ‘harmonised’ their closing dates with other ‘UK financial institutions’ to ensure that ‘everyone in the UK would know when banking transactions would be carried out’. They added that this allowed ‘all the logistical arrangements for cheque clearings and suppression of accounting transactions to be formalised’. They did not, however, state explicitly how an additional holiday would affect these arrangements. They concluded that individual organisations can decide for themselves whether a holiday should be granted, thus leaving the decision at ‘the appropriate level’.

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Effect on Local Authorities

Most of the local authorities that responded to the consultation felt that an additional holiday would be a non-productive day and would have major financial implications to the point of hindering their ability to ‘deliver front line services’. Dumfries and Galloway council also felt that customers would experience a ‘degree of inconvenience’. However they also commented that they are supportive of having a holiday as they already recognise St Andrew’s Day and established a school holiday some years ago.

Despite such local authority concerns it is worth noting that out of the 15 local authorities that responded, 11 were in favour of the Member’s proposal.

Renfrewshire council stated that they are ‘already feeling a financial burden’ with other ‘initiatives’. However, no further explanation was given. They argued that the full financial implications of the proposed Bill be recognised and that ‘all additional costs be fully funded’.

The City of Edinburgh Council, as did many other local authorities, commented on the issue of staff having to work on a fixed holiday:

“…it would be for the Council to determine if the date would be adopted for application to employees and on what basis. In this regard, consideration would have to be given to possible bargaining positions, likely service implications and costs and any agreement reached at National level between the Employer’s Side and the Trade Unions on the pay arrangements to be applied.”

Angus Council, which already recognises St Andrew’s Day as a holiday, does not envisage any more problems than with any other bank holiday and stated that the promotion of St Andrew’s Day events would create opportunities for tourism, catering and accommodation providers to benefit.

(3) How do you think that St Andrew’s Day could become a day of national celebration of Scotland’s diversity of cultures, faiths and ethnic origins?

There was a general understanding, from those who responded to this question, that St Andrew is a symbol of the Christian faith and that Scotland has a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural diversity. However, these two issues were generally not seen to be areas of possible conflict. Many respondents were positive that the celebration of St Andrew’s Day as a National Holiday could include all the people of Scotland. The key issues expressed by respondents on this matter are as follows.

Event organisation

Three respondents argued that the Parliament and local authorities would need to take the ‘lead role’ in initiating both local and national events. This

6 St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday would ensure that all the people of Scotland could participate in the celebrations. The St Andrew Society commented on Australia and its National Australia Day Council (NADC) being a good role model in this regard. The NADC was argued to be a good example on how a national celebration can be ‘celebrated everywhere with pride by all of the different peoples of the country’.

Highland Council suggested that ‘promotional events’ could be supported by Scottish business and, subject to available funding, the public and voluntary sectors.

North Lanarkshire Council felt that the holiday should be promoted as a ‘Nation’s Day’ or a ‘Scotland Day’ and such terminology and associated events would be an inclusive measure for the diversity of Scotland. They suggested that the organisation of ‘major events’ be arranged with the involvement of representatives of different cultures and faiths to ‘ensure the celebration represents multi-ethnic traditions’.

The Professional Association of Teachers wanted an assurance that the celebration of St Andrew’s Day would include schools:

“…[we would] seek confirmation that it is envisaged that this should apply to schools as well as the population at large.”

St Andrew

Some respondents commented that, although St Andrew is a religious and Christian figure, he is still recognisable to many cultures. Some argued that his ‘international appeal’, through not being Scottish and a patron saint of other countries, is a fact that could be exploited to highlight the inclusiveness of the Scottish nation and boost the ‘multi-ethnic appeal’ of St Andrew.

Most responses from religious affiliated organisations or individuals acknowledged that St Andrew’s Day would have its roots in Christianity and this was a positive opportunity for religious observance. However, it was also acknowledged that the celebration would need a modern 21st century context to ensure, as the Scottish Inter Faith Council commented, that ‘all faiths and cultures will be able to celebrate’.

Diversity of Scotland

Some respondents saw no problem with St Andrew’s Day ensuring the inclusion of all faiths and cultures. One individual commented that Scotland’s old and new ethnic cultures are as pro-Scottish as any others in Scotland. These respondents felt that, with appropriate promotion, the day could increase a sense of unity of the Scottish population.

In general, responses to this question stressed that it should be possible to include all of the communities in Scotland in the celebrations.

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(4) What impact, if any, would there be on the Scottish economy if a St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday were established in Scotland?

There was a good number of responses to this question and the information given has allowed this section to be divided into the, main, ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments.

Tourism

Most respondents who felt the holiday would have a positive impact on the economy centred on tourism. These respondents felt that both inward and outward travel would increase. Dumfries and Galloway Council argued that any loss of production and increased costs incurred by the holiday would be offset by increased tourism and spending on leisure time.

UNISON argued that a holiday could encourage weekend breaks within Scotland at a time when the tourist industry is relatively quiet.

Wellbeing

Two individuals commented that a long weekend, assuming the holiday would be fixed in such a way as to facilitate this, would help rest the workforce and could see increases in productivity as a result.

The Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) argued that public holidays improve work/life balance. An additional holiday therefore would assist companies experiencing problems with stress, fatigue and absenteeism.

Retail trade

The STUC felt that the tourism and retail sector would experience a ‘roaring trade’ and highlighted, as evidence, that the hospitality industry, during the foot and mouth epidemic, lobbied the Government for a public holiday to stimulate trade. The Scottish Retail Consortium stated that the majority of retailers believe bank holidays to be good for retail.

The main negative arguments on the impact of the proposed Bill on Scotland’s economy were as follows:

Effect on business

Clackmannanshire Council supported the proposal, acknowledging that the holiday would be very close to Christmas and therefore would be attractive to Christmas shoppers. However, they also felt that some small retail outlets with limited resources might be disadvantaged if they were to close, whereas larger competitors remained open.

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The Association of Community Councils (ASCC) also supported the proposal but referred to concern, ‘from some quarters’, that there would be additional costs if the holiday was observed by smaller employers, especially manufacturing or service industries.

Tourism & ‘poor weather’

The Scottish Licence Trade Association (SLTA) felt that the domestic tourism market may suffer as people choose to holiday outside of Scotland. The poor weather of November may not encourage a rural ‘weekend away’ in Scotland.

Additional salary and delivery costs

Most local authorities, although supportive, felt that an additional holiday would present an extra financial burden and would have an impact on their ability to maintain service delivery. Arrangements such as double time or alternative days off for those working on the day of the holiday were seen to be problematic and would involve additional costs.

Again, to put these responses into context, it is noted that the majority of local authorities indicated their overall support to the proposal.

North Lanarkshire Council gave an estimate, based on previous estimates (adjusted for inflation), of £190,000 to £210,000 for the additional costs of a public holiday. They suggested therefore that consideration be given to allow local authorities some extra funding on the ‘basis that overall benefits to the economy will outweigh additional costs’.

Highland Council also expressed concern on the potential additional costs to local authorities:

“Before any ‘additional holiday’ is fixed, additional costs to public services should be analysed and presented in the bill.”

However, it was suggested that additional costs could be minimised if local authorities were to exchange an existing public holiday for the proposed St Andrew’s Day holiday

The SLTA also referred to the burden of additional staff costs which have already increased because of Government legislation.

(5) What alternative arrangements, if any, should be made if a St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday is established but the 30th of November falls on a Saturday or a Sunday?

Responses to this question were quite straight forward and are as follows.

9 St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday

Seven respondents felt the holiday should take place on the following Monday as with the existing arrangements when Christmas and New Year fall on the weekend.

Seven respondents suggested that the best approach would be to have the holiday on the Friday or Monday closest to the 30th November.

The Association of Scottish Colleges preferred a system similar to Sweden’s approach to public holidays. In this way, if the 30th November happened to fall on a weekend, then there would be no substitute day provided.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) stressed that ‘Collective Bargaining Arrangements’ imply that, if the holiday were to fall on a weekend, a substitute day should be taken. They asked that legislation be worded to ensure this.

There was perhaps some confusion as to whether the proposed legislation would dictate when or how people could celebrate St Andrew’s Day. Some respondents stressed that the actual celebrations should take place on the 30th whatever the day and that a substitute holiday be provided on the closest Monday or Friday. The Scottish Episcopal Church went further by saying that the actual holiday should be on the 30th whatever the day. Although the consultation document does not indicate how celebrations should be carried out it is clear from this consultation exercise that some respondents are concerned about the true intent to celebrate St Andrew’s Day rather than merely having a holiday or day off work.

(6) Would there be any benefits in always having the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday on the Monday or Friday closest to the 30th of November (rather than always adhering to the specific date of the 30th if November)?

There was some support for the Bank Holiday to occur always on the Monday or Friday closest to the 30th November. The main reasons/arguments given can be summarised as follows.

· A fixed Friday would minimise disruption to colleges; · A fixed Friday would link the weekend to the occasion; · Either day would create a long weekend which would allow more time to enjoy the festivities; · Having the holiday on the Monday or Friday would be less disruptive than a day in the middle of the week; · Having the holiday on the Monday or Friday means consistency and would benefit the forward planning of tourists coming to Scotland to enjoy the celebration; · Either day would create a long weekend and allow for the maximising of event organisation and would create ‘social and tourism opportunities’;

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· Issues around collective bargaining could be eliminated if the Monday or Friday is always chosen.

The EIS gave the following recommendation:

“…it is absolutely imperative that the holiday…is taken on either a Monday or a Friday. There is some convincing evidence that breaks in the middle of the week interrupt teaching and learning…”

Other responses to this question reiterated the concern, expressed in response to question 5, over whether the real intention of the proposal is to celebrate St Andrew’s Day. For example, the Scottish Inter Faith Council felt that the date of the holiday should always be the 30th November and preferably not transferred to a Monday or Friday. One individual felt this question was not even relevant if the true intention is to ‘celebrate’ St Andrew’s Day.

(7) Do you have any further comments to make?

There were some further comments in addition to the questions set in the consultation document and these are as follows.

Replace with existing holiday

Eight respondents felt that, although a holiday to celebrate St Andrew’s Day was a positive step, an additional holiday might be problematic and disruptive. The alternative proposed by these respondents is to exchange an existing public holiday (e.g. one of the holidays in May) with St Andrew’s Day.

Terminology

Dumfries and Galloway Council expressed concern over how banks may close on a ‘Bank Holiday’ but other organisations may not. They felt that it would be less ambiguous to call this holiday a ‘Public Holiday’.

Conversely, UNIFI Amicus felt it important that legislation ‘enshrine the holiday as a bank holiday’ so that those working in the financial sector can also enjoy time off.

One religious organisation asked if the day could be called ‘St Andrew’s Day’ as opposed to ‘St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday’ in the same way as Ireland celebrate ‘St Patrick’s Day’.

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Main arguments

The responses to this consultation highlighted some clear ‘for and against’ arguments to the proposed legislation.

The following is a bullet point summary of these arguments.

For · Celebrating St Andrew’s Day will help increase a sense of national identity / an opportunity to have a ‘National Day’; · The proposed holiday offers an opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s diversity of cultures, faiths and ethnic origins; · An additional holiday would close the public holiday gap between Scotland and the rest of the EU; · St Andrew is an international/appropriate figure. Therefore, any celebrations can be inclusive to the entire Scottish population; · The proposal for establishing a St Andrew’s Day holiday is a good one (although a minority of respondents would prefer it to be in exchange for an existing public holiday); · The economy will receive a boost, especially in the tourist and retail sectors. This should offset any additional costs incurred by the holiday; · Government and local authorities should take the lead in organising national and local events to ensure all of Scotland can be involved.

Against · Additional costs of an extra holiday are significant and may hinder delivery of services; · November is not an ideal time of the year to have a celebration because of the weather and the proximity of Christmas; · The celebration of St Andrew, a Christian saint who never set foot in Scotland, might not appeal to all of the people of Scotland; · Holidays during the week may be disruptive to learning; · A bank holiday would disrupt the harmonising of Scottish banks and other UK financial institutions; · Smaller businesses with limited resources may be at a competitive disadvantage if they were to close on the holiday while larger competitors remained open; · An additional holiday is not necessary: employers can choose whether to grant holidays or not. This system suits employers and employees and minimises disruption.

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Summary and conclusions

Introduction There were 142 responses to Dennis Canavan’s consultation on his proposal for a St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday Bill. The majority of those who responded (85%) expressed support. Only 6% of respondents were opposed.

Responses to the Member’s consultation came from a wide range of organisations and individuals including: local authorities, political groups, trade unions, the business community, faith and equality organisations, MSPs, and community and cultural associations. Feedback came from most if not all parts of Scotland and from as far afield as Moscow, Dubai and North America, reflecting the extent of the Scots diaspora.

The results of the Member’s consultation broadly reflect the findings of a Glenlivet/MORI opinion poll carried out in November 2004. Those results showed from a sample of 1,006 people across Scotland that 75% favoured a St. Andrew’s Day national holiday.

Issues derived from the consultation are grouped below under the headings: benefits; problems; celebration and diversity; economic impact; and when to mark the day.

Issues The benefits from creating a bank holiday to mark St. Andrew’s Day are said to include: · The marking of a “National Day” to promote Scotland in terms of both culture and commerce at home and abroad; · A means to foster a more positive sense of national identity, allow the nation to “express itself” and to reflect “the diversity of the Scottish people”. · An opportunity to “close the gap” with the rest of Europe in terms of number of holidays and particularly national celebrations; and · Linked to this argument of parity was the suggestion that an increase in leisure time could lead to “a more effective workforce” and higher productivity.

Additionally some religious bodies noted an opportunity to acknowledge Scotland’s roots in Christianity and make the day one of “religious observance”, involving people of different faiths (see para. 10).

General issues raised from the question of problems that might arise from establishing a St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday include: · The expression of the view that establishing an extra bank holiday would create no more problems than any other bank holiday; · An anticipation of “unjustified” hostility from some employers, given the view that observance of a “national holiday” would cancel out any competitive (dis)advantage;

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· A concern that “unscrupulous” employers might seek to encapsulate all employee holidays (including bank holidays) into a four week total holiday entitlement; · The view that an extra holiday at this time of year might disrupt education; · A fear that the extra day’s holiday might not be available to everyone, particularly those required to work on the day to provide services; · The view that a St. Andrew’s Day holiday might not appeal to people who have no allegiance to Christianity; and · Concern that it would place some businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

Potential problems identified as specific to particular sectors include: · The effect on business in terms of: recent efforts directed at UK harmonisation of bank holidays, existing employer/employee flexibility regarding the taking of holiday time, and the claim that those European countries with more holidays suffered “much higher levels of unemployment”; · The impact on local authorities in terms of: hindrance of ability to “deliver front line services”, the question of some staff having to work on a fixed holiday to maintain essential services; and the request that “all additional costs be fully funded”; and · Problems for banking in terms of: logistical arrangements of “banking transactions suspended without penalty”, and the view that any decisions within organisations regarding holidays should be left at the “appropriate level”.

The question as to how St. Andrew’s Day could become a national day of celebration of Scotland’s cultural, religious and ethnic diversity includes responses in terms of: · The need for all Scotland’s people and its communities to be included in celebrations (and that the Christian symbolism of marking a patron saint’s day need not be in conflict with that need); · The suggestion that the Parliament and local authorities take “the lead role” in organisation of local and national events; · A view that Scottish business could support events; · A request for confirmation that the celebration of St Andrew’s Day “should apply to schools as well as the population at large”; and · The idea that the “international appeal” of St. Andrew could be cultivated to highlight inclusiveness and diversity.

Asked what economic impact a St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday might have, answers include: · The boost it could bring to tourism and retail; · A likely positive contribution towards the well-being of employees in respect of work/life balance; · A possible negative impact on small retail outlets if larger outlets remained open;

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· The likely attractiveness of such a day to Christmas shoppers; · One local authority estimated the likely cost of an extra bank holiday to it as somewhere between £190,000 and £210,000, yet concluded that “overall benefits to the economy will outweigh additional costs”; and · The idea of exchanging with an existing bank holiday to negate extra costs.

As to when to mark the day, suggestions include: · A Monday bank holiday if St. Andrew’s Day falls at a weekend; · Either a Monday or a Friday bank holiday if it falls at a weekend; · No weekday holiday if it falls at the weekend (being the Swedish approach); and · St Andrew’s Day should always be celebrated on 30 November. (Some expressed the view that the true intent should be celebration of St. Andrew’s Day rather than merely a day off work.) · The St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday should always be held on the Monday or Friday nearest to 30 November.

Conclusions Conclusions that may be drawn from the consultation include: · The overwhelming majority of respondents consider a St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday would be a positive step in promoting a celebration of national identity and diversity in cultural, ethnic and religious terms; · St. Andrew’s “multi-ethnic” appeal would encourage Scotland to adopt an international perspective and help to promote the nation on the world stage; and · A St. Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday would provide the business community with excellent opportunities, especially in tourism, retail and entertainment.

Issues meriting further consideration include: · Potential financial aspects highlighted by local authorities and some elements of the business community; and · The question as to whether there should be a substitute Bank Holiday, if 30 November falls on a Saturday or Sunday; · The question as to whether the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday should always be held on the Monday or Friday nearest to 30 November (rather than always adhering to the specific date of 30 November).

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Annex A

List of Respondents

Total Respondents: 142

ID Name Organisation Support 1 A B Watson Angus Council Yes 2 Lindsay Johnston Association of Scottish Colleges Yes 3 Rev John Burns Individual Yes 4 Margaret Barton Individual Yes 5 Alan Mitchell CBI Partially 6 Carole Cannon Individual Yes 7 Sheila Campbell Individual Yes 8 Maureen Campbell- Individual Yes White 9 Brian Hutchison Clackmannanshire Council Yes 10 Eric Canning Communist Party of Scotland Yes 11 Presbytery of Ayr Church of Scotland Yes 12 David Sinclair The General Assembly of the Yes Church of Scotland (Committee on Church & Nation) 13 Ian Johnson Church of Scotland Presbytery of No Greenock and Paisley 14 Leslie Jardine Dumfries and Galloway Council Yes 15 Ken Wimbor Educational Institute of Scotland Partially (EIS) 16 Fiona Lees East Ayrshire Council No 17 Drew McFarlane Equity Yes 18 Mr & Mrs Fubliry Individual Yes 19 David Alexander Falkirk Council Partially 20 William Wallace Graphic, Paper & Medical Union Yes (GPMU) 21 Phil Gallie MSP MSP Partially 22 Rosemary Grant Individual Yes 23 Alistair Dodds Highland Council Conditional 24 David Jenkins Individual Yes 25 Andrew Kerr Individual Yes 26 Mary Kilgallon Individual Yes 27 Rev Eric Potts Individual Yes 28 Jane McAnerney Individual Yes 29 Geriod MacEochagainn Individual Yes

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30 Lord MacFarlane (of DIAGEO Global Supply Yes Bearsden) 31 Mrs B McCann Individual Yes 32 Robin MacCormick Individual Yes 33 Jim Clifford Midlothian Council Yes 34 Moira Patrick Moray Council No 35 Peter Mulheron Individual Yes 36 New Brunswick Scottish Cultural Yes Association 37 Alistair Buchan Orkney Islands Council No 38 Eddie Reilly Public and Commercial Services Yes Union 39 Alan Rankin Scottish Tourism Forum (STF) Initial support 40 Phil McGarry National Union of Rail, Maritime Yes & Transport Workers (RMT) 41 Margaret Quinn Renfrewshire Council Conditional 42 Tom Reilly Individual Yes 43 John Tormey Individual Yes 44 Mario Conti Archbishop of Glasgow Yes 45 Vincent Logan Bishop of Dunkeld Yes 46 Keith Patrick Cardinal Archbishop of St Andrews and Yes O’Brian Edinburgh 47 Ret Tev Mgr Philip Kerr St Francis Xavier’s Yes 48 Rt Rev John Mone Bishop of Paisley Yes 49 Kathleen Munro Saltire Society Yes 50 Sister Isabel Smyth The Scottish Inter Faith Council Yes 51 Douglas Keil, QPM Scottish Police Federation Yes 52 Scott Alan Smith Individual Yes 53 Alyn Smith MEP Individual Yes 54 William Pollock South Ayrshire Council Yes 55 Pete Lindsay St Andrews Community Council Yes 56 David Williamson The St Andrew Society Yes 57 John S Strachan Scottish Assemblies of God Yes 58 Michael Turnbull Individual Yes 59 Loudon Temple Individual Yes 60 Liz Cairns UNIFI Yes 61 Matt Smith UNISON Yes 62 John O Fulton United Free Church of Scotland No Comment 63 Alex Linkston West Lothian Council No

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64 Donna Forrest Equal Opportunities Commission No Comment 65 Gayle Cowan Learning & Teaching Scotland No Comment 66 George Reid Scottish Parliament No Comment 67 Alan Dixon The Salvation Army No Comment 68 Jack Perry Scottish Enterprise No Comment 69 Jane McLeod Scottish Law Commission No comment 70 John Byron Individual Yes 71 John F Stuart Scottish Episcopal Church Yes 72 Ted Brocklebank MSP Conditional 73 Mike Pringle MSP Yes (in principle) 74 Eleanor Scott MSP Yes (in principle) 75 Rosemary Byrne MSP Yes (in principle) 76 Adam Ingram MSP Yes (in principle) 77 Stewart Stevenson MSP Yes (in principle) 78 Christine Grahame MSP Yes (in principle) 79 Stewart Maxwell MSP Yes (in principle) 80 Michael Matheson MSP Yes (in principle) 81 Linda Fabiani MSP Yes (in principle) 82 Colin Fox MSP Yes (in principle) 83 Carolyn Leckie MSP Yes (in principle) 84 Donald Gorrie MSP Yes 85 Robin Harper MSP Yes (in principle) 86 Margaret Ewing MSP Yes (in principle) 87 Alex Neil MSP Yes (in principle)

18 St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday

88 Chris Balance MSP Yes (in principle) 89 Shiona Baird MSP Yes (in principle) 90 Kenny MacAskill MSP Yes (in principle) 91 Margaret Mitchell MSP Conditional 92 Iain Smith MSP Yes (in principle) 93 Jeremy Purvis MSP Yes (in principle) 94 Elaine Smith MSP Yes (in principle) 95 Murray Tosh MSP No Comment 96 Bruce McFee MSP Yes (in principle) 97 John Swinburne MSP Yes (in principle) 98 Kenneth Macintosh MSP Unsure 99 Robert Brown MSP Unsure 100 David McLetchie MSP Conditional 101 Marlyn Glen MSP Yes (in principle) 102 Margo MacDonald MSP Yes (in principle) 103 John Swinney MSP Yes (in principle) 104 Nanette Milne MSP Conditional 105 Mark Ruskell MSP Yes (in principle) 106 C Brennan Strathvale Holdings LTD Yes 107 M Adams North Ayrshire Council Conditional 108 Gavin Hastings Hastings International Yes 109 Joyce Dobson Individual Yes 110 John O’Hagan North Lanarkshire Council Partially 111 Charles Hendry Individual Yes 112 Rev. James Morrow Individual Yes 113 Scottish Trades Union Congress Yes (STUC) 114 G Churchill The Committee of Scottish No Clearing Bankers 115 Colin Wilkinson Scottish Licensed Trade No

19 St Andrew’s Day: A National Holiday

Association (SLTA) 116 Douglas Murray Association of Scottish Partially Community Councils 117 Irene Hunter General Teaching Council for Yes Scotland 118 Anil Gupta COSLA Informal comment 119 Monsignor B Donachie St Thomas of Canterbury, Yes (on behalf of 250 Arbroath parishioners) 120 Mark Essex Professional Association of Conditional Teachers (PAT) 121 Fiona Moriarty Scottish Retail Consortium Yes 122 Helen Montgomery Individual Yes 123 Philip Barr The City of Edinburgh Council Yes (in principle) 124 Michael P. Clancey The Law Society of Scotland No Comment 125 Hugh Scullion AMICUS Yes 126 Gillian Taylor Perth & Kinross Council Yes 127 Ian Murray Bishop of Argyll and the Isles Yes 128 Tommy Sheridan MSP Yes (in principle) 129 Professor Tom Devine University of Aberdeen Yes 130 Mrs Robbie Mackenzie Individual Yes 131 Campbell Christie Individual Yes 132 Elaine C Smith Individual Yes 133 Mr & Mrs McCorkell Individual Yes 134 Sheena Wellington Individual Yes 135 Duncan Coulhoun Individual Yes 136 William McGrath Individual Yes 137 Jeanette Beattie Individual Yes 138 Tom Sweeten Individual Yes 139 Angus McFarlane Individual Yes 140 David Kiernan Individual Yes 141 James McGibbon Individual No 142 Ian Black Presbytery of Falkirk Yes

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