SCOTTISH secretary David Mundell has refused to apologise after he repeated claims Nicola Sturgeon had drastically reduced the occasions on which a Union flag can be flown from public buildings.

Mr Mundell told MPs in the House of Commons it “beggars belief” that the First Minister is concerned with flags at a time when “educational standards are falling and Police Scotland is in chaos”.

His comments followed a furious row over changes to published guidance recommending the Union flag should only be flown on Remembrance Day, with the same document the year before stating it should be flown on several occasions including Royal birthdays and anniversaries.

Ms Sturgeon denied claims she was behind the decision, which was made in 2010 under Alex Salmond – and the Scottish Government made the unusual move of demanding an apology from three newspapers over the stories.

It said the guidance had simply been updated by officials to reflect actual practice, and the Union flag will be flown on the same number of days as previous years.

The Scottish Daily Mail has now apologised to Ms Sturgeon, stating it was “happy to clarify that the decision to change the policy on flag flying was taken and implemented by former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2010”.

Mr Mundell told MPs on Wednesday: “In September 2014 the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain within the United Kingdom, and the Union Jack is the flag of the United Kingdom.

“It beggars belief that, at a time when children’s hospital wards are being closed, educational standards are falling and Police Scotland is in chaos, the priority of the First Minister of Scotland is flags.”

The SNP have now called for an apology over the comments, insisting “the Daily Mail has apologised to the First Minister for its false story and the Tories should now do likewise for attempting to spread it”.

A spokesman added: “This isn’t the first time Mr Mundell and the Tories have been proven wrong and it won’t be the last.

“Whilst it would be the honourable thing for him, Ruth Davidson and all the other Tories who spent their week obsessing over flags to apologise for spreading this misinformation, reflect on their priorities and the stories they promote, we won’t hold our breath"

But a UK Government spokeswoman refused to back down.

She said: "As Mr Mundell has made clear, the Scottish Government needs to spend less time worrying about flags, and concentrate on the day job of sorting out the very significant problems in Scotland’s schools, health service and law enforcement.”

As well as the Scottish Daily Mail, the Scottish Government has written letters of complaint to the Scottish Daily Express and Daily Telegraph.

It threatened to take the case to the Independent Press Standards Organisation, the industry regulator, if the issue is not resolved.

Nicola Sturgeon said the Mail "has admitted that its ridiculous story about me and flags was utterly false and issued a full apology".

Writing on Twitter, she added: "Rigorous scrutiny of politicians by a free media is fundamental to our democracy.

"But when newspapers publish blatant untruths they do a disservice, not just to those they defame, but to the integrity of their trade.

"That’s why it’s important to challenge falsehoods."