<P> No law has been passed making the Union Jack the national flag of the United Kingdom: it has become one through precedent . Its first recorded recognition as a national flag came in 1908, when it was stated in Parliament that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag". A more categorical statement was made by Home Secretary Sir John Gilmour, in 1933 when he stated that "the Union Flag is the national flag and may properly be flown by any British subject on land ." </P> <P> Civilian use is permitted on land, but use of the unmodified flag at sea is restricted to military vessels . Unauthorised use of the flag in the 17th century to avoid paying harbour duties--a privilege restricted to naval ships--caused James's successor, Charles I, to order that use of the flag on naval vessels be restricted to His Majesty's ships "upon pain of Our high displeasure ." It remains a criminal offence under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 to display the Union Flag (other than the "pilot jack"--see below) from a British ship . Naval ships will fly the white ensign, merchant and private boats can fly the red ensign, others with special permission such as naval yacht clubs can fly the blue ensign . All of the coloured ensigns contain the union flag as part of the design . </P> <P> The Court of the Lord Lyon, which has legal jurisdiction in heraldic matters in Scotland, confirms that the Union Jack "is the correct flag for all citizens and corporate bodies of the United Kingdom to fly to demonstrate their loyalty and their nationality ." </P> <P> In Australia, the current national flag gradually replaced the Union Flag . When it formally created the national flag in the Flags Act 1953, section 8 of that Act specified that "this Act does not affect the right or privilege of a person to fly the Union Jack ." The Union Jack continued to be used for a period thereafter as a national flag . The current national flag of New Zealand was given official standing under the New Zealand Ensign Act in 1902, but similarly to Australia the Union Jack continued to be used in some contexts as a national flag . </P>

The union jack should be regarded as the national flag