Staff in the Scottish Parliament will no longer be permitted to wear personalised lanyards, including rainbow colours and other "social movements".

Earlier this month a member of the group Scottish Lesbians was told to remove a purple pin badge bearing the name of the group.

The organisation describes lesbians as "exclusively same-sex attracted females" and says "we do not recognise any other definition".

In a post on social media, Scottish Lesbians said the member in question was then "checked in by someone wearing a rainbow lanyard".

At Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body questions, Conservative MSP Tess White asked how many visitors to the Scottish Parliament have been asked by security and other SPCB staff to remove badges and other apparel since May 2021.

The SPCB is responsible for employing the staff who work at Holyrood.

She further asked whether the SPCB would "commit to review not just the visitor behaviour policy in the Scottish Parliament but all policies relating to banners, flags, political slogans to ensure clarity, fairness and public participation".

Clare Baker, Labour MSP and member of the SPCB responded: "The Corporate Body have commissioned a review of the protest policy that will include looking at items and dress and I do recognise the need for policy to be consistent and to provide clarity.

"Corporate Body staff must conduct themselves in an impartial manner. As an update, Corporate Body staff have, until recently, been allowed to wear personalised lanyards.

"However, a review of the code of conduct has just been completed and a decision has been taken that all staff must wear the Parliament-issued purple lanyard.

Read More: 

"This decision will help minimise the risk of perceived bias.  It will also help avoid any potential misperception that wearing such items may be affecting our own decision making."

The new rules will not apply to MSPs or their staff.

Guidance was sent to all staff on Wednesday, March 20 by Lorna Foreman, Group Head of People and Culture.

It said: "I am writing to let you know that all SPS staff must wear a parliament issued purple lanyard and remove pins and badges showing support for social movements and towards campaigns or organisations.

"Wearing personalised lanyards and/or pins and badges showing support for social movements and towards campaigns or organisations has led some organisations and individuals to consider that the SPS cannot be impartial when supporting the parliament to debate government policy, proposed new laws and current significant societal issues.

"This decision will help to minimise the risk of perceived bias and avoid any perception that wearing such items may be influencing our own decision-making. 

"Colleagues can continue to wear a pronoun pin or badge. Wearing a pronoun pin or badge is a simple but effective way of signalling that we respect people’s pronouns and their gender identity. We want all our members, staff, contractors, and visitors to feel safe to be true to who they are.

"Colleagues with adjustment passports who wear Sunflower lanyards and/or pin or badge can continue to do so but must also wear a parliament issued purple lanyard. We want to make it easier for anyone working and visiting Holyrood with a hidden disability to get the support they need."

Staff will still be permitted to wear badges supporting recognised trades unions, and parliament issued pins and badges relating to their roles such as to indicate they are a Gaelic speaker.

Poppy badges and pins will also still be permitted but "badges and lanyards bearing the identity of professional organisations or regulatory bodies" of which staff are members are no longer allowed.

The change is to come fully into effect no later than March 28.