Department for Culture Media and Sport
ceremonial and flag flying
We issue the rules for hoisting the Union Flag on Government buildings.
For further information on the flying of the Union Flag on Government buildings, contact our Architecture and Historic Environment Division, telephone 020 7211 2381 or visit the Flag Flying website, which has an FAQ page.
The Governance of Britain, Flag Flying Consultation
DCMS published a consultation paper The Governance of Britain, Flag Flying in July 2007and the consultation period ran until November 2007.
There were 305 responses to the consultation. The majority of responses (287) came from members of the public with the remaining (18) responses coming from local authorities and other organizations. These included English Heritage, Westminster City Council, The Flag Institute, the Welsh Language Board and the Wessex Society.
The consultation document contained three questions. Respondents answered the questions in a variety of ways and some also raised their own questions. In answer to the main question, do you think the Union
Flag should be flown on Government buildings:
- 60 percent favoured the Union Flag being flown on UK Government buildings all of the time;
- 4 percent favoured flying the Flag on working days only;
- 2 percent thought it should be flown on an increased number of fixed days;
- 13 percent favoured the status quo of flying the Flag on the current 18 days; and
- 3 percent thought that Government departments should be able to choose when to fly the Flag.
The remaining 18 per cent who responded favoured a variety of measures outside of the five options offered or were unclear.
Following the publication of the White Paper, The Governance of Britain: Constitutional Renewal (CM 7342-1), and the Consultation Analyses Document (CM 7342-3) on 25 March 2008, the Government has decided to make permanent the temporary relaxation of the flag flying guidance which gave UK Government departments the freedom to fly the Union Flag on their buildings when they want.
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