Scottish Government 'Spent £7,000 On Flags'

The Scottish Government spent nearly £7,000 on flags in the run up to the independence referendum - including over £2,000 worth of saltires but not a single union flag.

The SNP government - which remains a devolved administration of the United Kingdom following the No vote - purchased 23 Scottish flags between July 2013 and October this year at a cost of £2,012, figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives show.

It spent £6,841 in total on 121 flags including £108 on a Basque flag - a region of Spain with an active pro-independence campaign - and £58.50 on an English flag.

That's more than was spent in the three previous years combined, when £5,584 was invested in flags - including 38 saltires.

In the year of Glasgow 2014 the Scottish Government also spent £1,700 separately on 71 flags for all Commonwealth nations.

It also purchased rainbow flags, two Isle of Man flags, as well as flags for Mongolia and Mauritius.

Scottish Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said: While the sums of money may not be massive, if it transpires the Scottish Government was purchasing saltires for referendum-related reasons, there will be some tricky questions to answer.

Taxpayers' money has to be spent responsibly, and I look forward to ministers setting out the justification for this investment - particularly when it comes to the saltires.

The fact a Basque flag was bought will also raise eyebrows, as there are obvious comparisons between the SNP and other separatist movements across Europe.

It's no surprise to see there isn't a Union Jack on this list, given the tone the Scottish Government adopted in the referendum campaign and its refusal to display the flag in prominent locations at appropriate times.''

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: In line with our flag protocols - in place since the previous administration - Saltire flags are flown outside Scottish Government buildings on a daily basis.

From time to time these require to be replaced due to the impact of weather conditions. We also hold supplies of the Commonwealth, European and Union flags as required by these protocols.

Flags are purchased for Ministerial meetings or engagements with representatives of the relevant countries. The flags of Commonwealth countries were purchased to fly during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.''