Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-20050, in the name of Graeme Dey, on support for the veterans and armed forces community in Scotland. I i...

The Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans (Graeme Dey) SNP

It is my pleasure to present the Scottish Government’s ninth annual update to the Parliament on our support for Scotland’s veterans and armed forces communit...

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Does the minister agree with me and Forces Children Scotland about the challenge that children of service people face in this transition? Does he agree that ...

Graeme Dey SNP

Martin Whitfield makes a reasonable point. I go back to the point that I was making when I took Martin Whitfield’s intervention. Work is under way to intens...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Minister, can you move the motion?

Graeme Dey SNP

I move, That the Parliament acknowledges and recognises the importance of Scotland’s veterans and Armed Forces community and greatly values the significant ...

Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I thank the minister for giving Parliament the opportunity to have a debate on veterans, and I thank Susie Hamilton for the work that she has done over the p...

Graeme Dey SNP

Will the member give way?

Edward Mountain Con

If I have time, I will give way to the minister.

Graeme Dey SNP

I apologise, as I should have said in my opening speech that the Government will be happy to support Mr Mountain’s amendment in the spirit in which it is int...

Edward Mountain Con

I am delighted to hear that. There is potentially a huge benefit. I realise that there might be some nervousness when I mention the issue, given the state of...

Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I congratulate the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, retired Lieutenant Colonel Susie Hamilton—sorry, it is of course Lieutenant Commander Susie Hamilton, who ...

Graeme Dey SNP

The Scottish Government is very willing to engage on that point. However, along with some of our stakeholders, we have found getting information from the UK ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Please bring your remarks to a close, Mr Sweeney.

Paul Sweeney Lab

In the spirit of collaboration, I am more than happy to work as best as I can to be useful in liaising with UK Government colleagues on that. The recent anno...

Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD

I thank the 176,000 UK armed forces veterans who live in Scotland, and I would also like to mention the one in 30 adults in Shetland who have served in the U...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

We move to the open debate. 17:02

Jackie Dunbar (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) SNP

I like talking about veterans in the chamber, because it is one of the few areas in which there is fairly broad consensus. There is clear agreement among all...

Graeme Dey SNP

Jackie Dunbar is absolutely right. I struggle to find the words to describe my view on the fact that only 45 general practices have registered for the scheme...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Thank you, minister. That was quite a lengthy response, and I am conscious that it is Ms Dunbar who has the floor. You have only 40 seconds left, Ms Dunbar.

Jackie Dunbar SNP

I welcome what the minister has just said about the work that is being done on the process. While we are talking about recognition schemes, I point out that,...

Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con) Con

I declare an interest: I am a practising NHS GP. I also speak today as a Glasgow MSP who represents a city with a proud service history, with Royal Navy ship...

Paul Sweeney Lab

The member might have noted that the commissioner said that she was disappointed by the slow uptake of the general practice armed forces and veterans recogni...

Sandesh Gulhane Con

I was going to intervene on the minister on that. It is a question of making sure that general practitioners have the time to do that. There are a lot of thi...

Alex Rowley (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

I have spoken in this debate on a number of occasions over the years, and I am pleased to do so again today. First, as others have done, I thank all those wh...

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab

Support for veterans and those in the armed forces is important wherever you are in Scotland, but it has a special resonance in my constituency, which includ...

Edward Mountain Con

Made a request to intervene.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Jackie Baillie is concluding.

Jackie Baillie Lab

There is merit in Edward Mountain’s amendment, and we will support it today. At a time when armed forces recruitment is not a luxury but a necessity, I am s...

Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) Con

As others have done, I record the huge debt of gratitude that we owe to our armed forces. Those who serve want simple things. While they are serving, they w...