WIREDGOV

An extra Bank Holiday has been announced for the summer of 2012 to mark The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed that the extra holiday on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 would apply to Scotland, and that the traditional late May Bank Holiday would be moved to Monday, June 4, 2012, providing for a four-day weekend to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne.

A series of events are being planned across Scotland and the rest of the UK to mark the milestone celebration.

Mr Salmond said:

"The people of Scotland have a special affection for The Queen, and I am sure that they will welcome the opportunity to join in the celebrations being planned to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee in two years time.

"Being Monarch for 60 years will be a truly remarkable achievement - only Queen Victoria has celebrated a Diamond Jubilee before.

"The special Bank Holiday weekend, and the many celebrations that are being planned around it, will allow us all to celebrate with tremendous pride and great affection Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne."

The Scottish Government is working with Buckingham Palace and the UK Government on plans for a series of events to be arranged to enable communities across the country to mark the Diamond Jubilee. It has already been announced that these celebrations will take place around the first week of June 2012.

In Scotland, national holidays are a devolved matter. The Scotland Act assigns to Scottish Ministers the responsibility for setting dates of bank holidays. Entitlement to bank holidays is dependent on the contractual arrangements between employers and employees.

Lord Mandelson, the UK Government's Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills, announced the latest details of the Diamond Jubilee plans on January 5, which also include national competitions for City Status, a Lord Mayoralty and Lord Provostship, as well as the creation of a commemorative medal.