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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Scottish Executive to be renamed | Scottish Executive to be renamed |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Scottish Executive is to be rebranded as the Scottish Government, it has been confirmed. | |
| The new name will be used on all documents, letters, publicity material and signs outside government buildings. | |
| The move came after research suggested the term 'executive' was meaningless to many people. | The move came after research suggested the term 'executive' was meaningless to many people. |
| First Minister Alex Salmond said the time was right for a change, but Labour said the SNP had acted "unilaterally and without consultation". | |
| The administration's legal name will still be the Scottish Executive. | |
| The overwhelming majority of people had no idea what the term 'executive' meant Alex SalmondFirst Minister Send us your views | The overwhelming majority of people had no idea what the term 'executive' meant Alex SalmondFirst Minister Send us your views |
| The first document to feature the new title will be the SNP's legislative programme, which is due to be unveiled on Wednesday. | |
| A new Scottish government sign has been put in place outside its Victoria Quay building in Leith, replacing the existing Scottish Executive sign. | |
| A saltire will replace the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom on the Scottish government's official documents. | |
| The rebranding is expected to cost about £100,000. | The rebranding is expected to cost about £100,000. |
| Politicians from the Lib Dems and Labour have already begun to use the term Scottish government in recent months. | Politicians from the Lib Dems and Labour have already begun to use the term Scottish government in recent months. |
| A poll showed most people do not like the term Scottish Executive | |
| A poll held after then-Labour chief whip Tom McCabe said he was open to suggestions for a name change in 2001 showed that only 29% of people wanted the title Scottish Executive to remain. | A poll held after then-Labour chief whip Tom McCabe said he was open to suggestions for a name change in 2001 showed that only 29% of people wanted the title Scottish Executive to remain. |
| Mr Salmond said Northern Ireland was the only other country in the world where the word 'executive' was used to describe a layer of government. | Mr Salmond said Northern Ireland was the only other country in the world where the word 'executive' was used to describe a layer of government. |
| He added: "The overwhelming majority of people had no idea what the term 'executive' meant. | He added: "The overwhelming majority of people had no idea what the term 'executive' meant. |
| "Obviously the Scottish administration is the government. It is regarded as the government across a range of issues, and it should act like a government." | "Obviously the Scottish administration is the government. It is regarded as the government across a range of issues, and it should act like a government." |
| Mr Salmond said he believed the time was right to make the "common sense change". | |
| What an administration does and what it achieves in office is far more important than what it is called Conservative spokesman | |
| His spokesman defended the cost, arguing that it was just 0.2% of the £50m savings identified by the SNP administration. | |
| Labour leader Wendy Alexander said: "I am open-minded on the name change and recognise the possible advantages. | |
| "However, it is inconsistent with a professed desire for consensus, conversation and co-operation to act unilaterally and without consultation. | |
| "It is another sign that the trappings of office risk getting a higher priority than improving the lives of Scots." | |
| A Conservative Party spokesman said: "What an administration does and what it achieves in office is far more important than what it is called. | |
| "If there is to be any change then it's got to be done at a minimum cost to the taxpayer." |