Hansard

09:00

The Convener SNP

The next item of business is an oral evidence session on legislative consent memorandum LCM-S6-73. The LCM has been lodged by the Scottish Government in rela...

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

Good morning and thank you for inviting me along to discuss the UK Armed Forces Bill and the associated legislative consent memorandum.As you will be aware, ...

The Convener SNP

Thank you, minister. I will kick off with the first question. What will change as a result of the new duty that the bill places on the Scottish ministers?

Graeme Dey SNP

There is a wider aspect to the question, which is what will be improved in the experience of the armed forces community and their families as a result of the...

The Convener SNP

Thank you for that reassuring response.

Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) SNP

Good morning, minister. I welcome what you have just said, but I have a couple of questions. I am happy for responses to be relatively brief and perhaps foll...

Graeme Dey SNP

To deal with your first point, I, too, welcome the fact that that scrutiny will be in place. It has been a bugbear for some people in Parliament that there h...

Bob Doris SNP

I find that encouraging. I just want to put on record—with brevity, I promise, convener—the fact that I have spoken in recent months to two veterans who have...

Graeme Dey SNP

I just want to respond briefly, if I may. On housing, there are some very good examples across Scotland of local authorities having a relationship with the v...

Bob Doris SNP

That was really helpful. I should say that the veterans who spoke to me about the bus pass made the point that they could use it to meet up with colleagues w...

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

Good morning, minister. Like many, I welcome the progress that is being made here, and I acknowledge that the bill will focus minds, something that will be v...

Graeme Dey SNP

I will bring in Clare McKinlay to respond to that.

Clare McKinlay (Scottish Government)

The armed forces covenant already applies to certain functions of local authorities and health bodies in Scotland, so the bill will not change that. This leg...

Graeme Dey SNP

I think that what you are alluding to, Mr Stewart, is the patchy nature of what is offered.

Alexander Stewart Con

Yes.

Graeme Dey SNP

We have local authority armed forces and veterans champions as well as national health service champions. There are some excellent local authority champions;...

Alexander Stewart Con

Thank you.09:15

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased that the LCM is before the committee this morning and that there is a recommendation to approve it.I have a question about clause 6 and schedule...

Graeme Dey SNP

I will bring Clare McKinlay in to speak to the detail of that.

Clare McKinlay

During the past few days, we have had further engagement at official level with the Ministry of Defence, and it has been agreed that the legislative consent ...

Graeme Dey SNP

That is symptomatic of the good working that has been going on at both official and ministerial level. There has been a very collaborative approach.I meet mo...

The Convener SNP

That concludes our questions. Is the committee content to recommend to the Parliament that consent should be given for the relevant provisions covered by LCM...

Bob Doris SNP

Convener, before we move on, given that this may be the last time that the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans will be in front of us—and consid...

The Convener SNP

I echo that. On behalf of the committee, I wish the minister good luck in the future.Are members content to delegate responsibility to me and the clerks to d...

The Convener SNP

Thank you, minister, and your officials as well. We will have a short suspension to allow for a change of witnesses.09:17Meeting suspended.09:19On resuming—