Dennis Canavan wants people to celebrate culture

It has been raised by independent MSP Dennis Canavan, who said it had been signed by 76 cross-party MSPs.

The move to make 30 November a holiday has also been supported by trade unions, religious leaders, local authorities and some business people.

First Minister Jack McConnell has said he has "yet to be convinced" by the merits of the idea.

If approved, it would take to nine the number of public holidays in Scotland each year.

'Bottom of league'

It would not give a legal right to extra pay or time off to staff who work on such holidays. That would be a matter of contract or agreement between the employer and employee.

"Scotland is at the bottom of the European league in terms of the number of public holidays," Mr Canavan said.

"My bill will help to ensure a fairer deal for workers. It will also give Scots the opportunity to celebrate out ethnic and cultural diversity as well as helping to promote Scotland internationally."

Shop sales on holidays go up, the bill says

There would be no cost to the Scottish administration if St Andrew's Day was included within the total annual holiday entitlement or substituted for an existing holiday.

But if it was treated as an extra holiday, the cost to the Scottish Executive of granting its own employees an extra day's holiday would be �640,000, according to the bill's financial memorandum.

But the Scottish Retail Consortium estimates that shop sales on a bank holiday can soar by up to 80%, depending on the type of retailer, the bill says.

"With average sales on a Monday or around �35m, this could mean an additional �28m in retail sales alone," it adds.

McConnell's reservations

A spokeswoman for the first minister repeated his reservations, saying he believed there were "other ways" to celebrate the date.

She said: "He is not convinced that everybody would actually benefit from another public holiday.

"He wasn't convinced that was the best way to mark the day. While people like civil servants might get the day off there would certainly be a whole tranche of other workers who certainly wouldn't."

The cost to local authorities is put at �24.5m and �16.5m to the health service.

Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond has also called for St Andrew's Day to be made a public holiday.