Schoolchildren in Scotland take their holidays at different times

The move was agreed by Holyrood's Public Petitions Committee after MSPs heard evidence from an Edinburgh father of two school-age children.

John MacLeod gave his evidence entirely in Gaelic, which was translated via headphones for the MSPs.

The petition said that school holidays varied from area to area.

It read: "As Scotland is a small country, it should be possible for schoolchildren, families and relatives to get the chance to come together when they would like to at suitable times that fall completely within the Scottish school holidays."

Feeling of support

After Mr MacLeod made his case and answered questions from the MSPs, committee convener Michael McMahon said: "There is a general feeling of support.

"Mr MacLeod is raising an issue of practicality which would help a lot of people."

The matter had previous been raised with the executive in 2001 but without result, the committee heard.

The MSPs agreed to seek afresh the views of the executive and the local authority umbrella body Cosla.

Quite often you get neighbouring authorities that have different dates, and it doesn't make sense that there should be that much of a variation. John MacLeod

Mr MacLeod said after the meeting: "I asked the committee to contact the executive and Cosla to encourage them to standardise the main holidays - Christmas, Easter, summer and autumn - which can at present vary by as much as a week between different authorities."

While the Easter holiday began this year on 26 March in Highland, the Western Isles, and Dumfries and Galloway, it began a week later on 2 April in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, the Borders, Stirling, and Fife, he said.

And summer holidays which began on 25 June in Glasgow, the Borders, Stirling and the Western Isles do not being until 2 July in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Highland, Dumfries and Galloway and Fife.

Mr MacLeod added: "I appreciate that there will be local days and local holidays.

"But quite often you get neighbouring authorities that have different dates, and it doesn't make sense that there should be that much of a variation.