The Scottish Parliament does not currently accept requests to hold events for commercial purposes. All events that take place at Holyrood must have a key link to the business and priorities of the Parliament and require sponsorship from an MSP, a committee or a Parliament office. More information about events is available on our website.

Her Majesty The Queen attended the official opening of the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 1999 and the opening of the new Scottish Parliament building on 9 October 2004. She also attended a ceremony to mark the opening of the third session of the Parliament on 30 June 2007. However, there is no equivalent in the Scottish Parliament to the State Opening of the UK Parliament at Westminster, which normally takes place each year at the start of the parliamentary session.

A range of images of the Scottish Parliament that can be downloaded are available on our website at Images - Latest. This page also provides information about the conditions under which these images can be used.

If you cannot find a suitable image among the selection on the website, please contact the Public Information Service.

The first elections to the Scottish Parliament took place on 6 May 1999 and meetings of the Parliament began with the first sitting on 12 May 1999. At this sitting, the MSPs took the oath of allegiance or made a solemn affirmation and elected the Presiding Officer and two Deputy Presiding Officers. The Parliament was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen on 1 July 1999 and took up its full powers on this date.

Information about the official opening of the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 1999, including photographs and the text of speeches, is available in the History section of the website.

Information about the opening of the new Parliament building at Holyrood can be found in the About Holyrood section of the website.

You can find news releases in the News section of the website. The Scottish Parliament’s Media Office issues news releases on a regular basis. These can be on a range of topics, from the launch of a consultation by one of the Parliament’s committees, to special events being held in the Parliament building.

There are five demountable flagpoles outside the public entrance to the Scottish Parliament building. Three of these are in constant use as the Union Flag, the Saltire and the European Union flag are flown throughout the year; the fourth and fifth flagpoles are put in place when required.

When heads of state, heads of government or officially invited guests visit, the appropriate flag of the visiting dignitary is flown from a flagpole. The appropriate flag is also flown on certain international days that are officially recognised by the Parliament such as Commonwealth Day and United Nations Day. The Royal Standard is flown during a visit by Her Majesty The Queen or during a state visit (that is, when a head of state visits and is accompanied by a member of the royal family).