Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 09 December 2025
09 Dec 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Veterans and Armed Forces Community
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, as employers, our individual MSP offices—not us, but our offices—can sign up to the defence employer recognition scheme. My office manager has already done that for my office, and we are at bronze award level. He will email all offices to show them how it can be done.
I reiterate that the majority of veterans will never need support, and that their experience and work ethic mean that they bring a lot to our workplaces and their communities. However, some will need support, and I am pleased that we are agreed across the chamber that we need to get to that place so that Scotland is seen as a destination of choice for those who leave our armed forces.
17:06In the same item of business
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...