Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will establish an additional public holiday for St George's Day.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government regularly receives requests for additional bank and public holidays to commemorate a variety of occasions – such as cultural, historical, military and religious events.
While an additional bank holiday may benefit some communities and sectors, the cost to the economy of an additional bank holiday remains considerable. The latest analysis estimates the cost to the UK economy for a one-off bank holiday to be around £2bn.
The current pattern of bank holidays is well established and accepted and we have no plans to change it.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has had discussions with relevant stakeholders on requiring schools to fly the St. George’s cross on St. George’s Day.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools are free to celebrate St George’s Day, although there were no plans from the Department to ensure that they did so. This is a matter for schools to decide.
Schools play an important role in preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. This involves supporting pupils to understand the society in which they grow up and develop their sense of British identity. Schools in England are free to display the national flag of the United Kingdom, or the St. George’s cross, and the Department does not provide any specific guidance on these matters.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has plans to ensure that schools are celebrating St. George’s Day on 23 April 2021.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools are free to celebrate St George’s Day, although there were no plans from the Department to ensure that they did so. This is a matter for schools to decide.
Schools play an important role in preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. This involves supporting pupils to understand the society in which they grow up and develop their sense of British identity. Schools in England are free to display the national flag of the United Kingdom, or the St. George’s cross, and the Department does not provide any specific guidance on these matters.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to make St. George’s Day a public holiday in England.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government regularly receives requests for additional bank and public holidays to commemorate a variety of occasions such as cultural, historical and religious events. The current pattern of bank and public holidays is well established and acknowledged.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to promote the importance of celebrating St. Georges day.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Arts Council England, a DCMS Arm’s Length Body, is supporting a number of organisations across the country who will be running events including York Castle Museum which will be running a virtual St George’s Day on their social media including sharing St George related objects from the Museum’s collections.
My department continues to promote the importance of celebrating St George’s Day through its flag flying policy for designated days which encourages the flying of the Union Flag on UK Government Buildings.
St George’s Day is a designated day. UK Government Buildings, where they have more than one flag pole, are also encouraged to fly the Cross of St George alongside the Union Flag. Individuals, local authorities and other organisations may fly the Cross of St George if they wish.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to promote celebrations for the upcoming St. Georges Day on the 23 April 2021.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Arts Council England, a DCMS Arm’s Length Body, is supporting a number of organisations across the country who will be running events including York Castle Museum which will be running a virtual St George’s Day on their social media including sharing St George related objects from the Museum’s collections.
My department continues to promote the importance of celebrating St George’s Day through its flag flying policy for designated days which encourages the flying of the Union Flag on UK Government Buildings.
St George’s Day is a designated day. UK Government Buildings, where they have more than one flag pole, are also encouraged to fly the Cross of St George alongside the Union Flag. Individuals, local authorities and other organisations may fly the Cross of St George if they wish.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to celebrate St. Georges Day on 23 April 2021.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
Arts Council England, a DCMS Arm’s Length Body, is supporting a number of organisations across the country who will be running events including York Castle Museum which will be running a virtual St George’s Day on their social media including sharing St George related objects from the Museum’s collections.
My department continues to promote the importance of celebrating St George’s Day through its flag flying policy for designated days which encourages the flying of the Union Flag on UK Government Buildings.
St George’s Day is a designated day. UK Government Buildings, where they have more than one flag pole, are also encouraged to fly the Cross of St George alongside the Union Flag. Individuals, local authorities and other organisations may fly the Cross of St George if they wish.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list his Engagements for St. George’s Day on 23 April 2021.
Answered by Boris Johnson
My engagements are still to be finalised, and will be announced in due course. I can inform my hon. Friend that the Cross of St George will be proudly flying alongside the Union Flag in Downing Street.
Asked by: Tom Hunt (Conservative - Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to make St George's Day a bank holiday.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government regularly receives requests for additional bank and public holidays to commemorate a variety of occasions – such as cultural, history, military and religious events.? The current pattern on public and bank holidays is well established and acknowledged throughout the country.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the (a) Union Jack, (b) St George's flag, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) flag of Wales has been flown from the headquarters of his Department in London in each year since 2015.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Union Jack has been flown every day since 2015 at the Department for Transport’s London headquarters building. The Department does not own any of the other flags mentioned.