Written Question · S3W-04460 · Session 3
Further to the answer to question S3W-4011 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 September 2007, whether its close liaison with the Ministry of Defence …
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4011 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 September 2007, whether its close liaison with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) includes regular meetings of representatives of the Executive, the MoD and Scotland’s veterans’ organisations and, if so, when the last such meeting took place, when the next is scheduled and whether it will publish the names of those attending.
The answer
Officials from the Scottish Government’s Social Inclusion Division chair the Veterans’ Programme (Scotland) Steering Group which last met on 19 February 2007 and will meet again on 23 October.
As well as officialsfrom the Scottish Government, Ministry of Defence and the Service Personnel andVeterans Agency, this meeting is also regularly attended by representatives fromPoppy Scotland, The Royal British Legion Scotland, ERSKINE, Scottish Veterans Residencesand Veterans Scotland.
Officials of the ScottishGovernment and the Ministry of Defence have also recently met, on 31 August, andwill meet again on 24 October 2007. Officials also meet regularlywith representatives of Scottish veterans organisations, the last such meeting beingwith a representative of Poppy Scotland on 6 September to discuss supported employmentfor veterans.
Furthermore, officialsfrom the Scottish Government attend the Veterans’ Forum, chaired by the UK Minister for Veterans, at which the Devolved Administrationsand a range of veterans’ organizations from across the United Kingdom (including Veterans Scotland, Combat Stress and PoppyScotland) are represented. The last meeting of the forum was on 15 June 2007 with the next meeting scheduled for 4 December 2007.
A full list of attendeesand the minutes of the forum can be found online at http://www.veterans-uk.info/vets_programme/vets_forum.html.
Scottishministers are also invited to attend the Veterans Taskforce, again chaired by theUK Minister for Veterans, but in recent years have beenunable to attend.
As well as officialsfrom the Scottish Government, Ministry of Defence and the Service Personnel andVeterans Agency, this meeting is also regularly attended by representatives fromPoppy Scotland, The Royal British Legion Scotland, ERSKINE, Scottish Veterans Residencesand Veterans Scotland.
Officials of the ScottishGovernment and the Ministry of Defence have also recently met, on 31 August, andwill meet again on 24 October 2007. Officials also meet regularlywith representatives of Scottish veterans organisations, the last such meeting beingwith a representative of Poppy Scotland on 6 September to discuss supported employmentfor veterans.
Furthermore, officialsfrom the Scottish Government attend the Veterans’ Forum, chaired by the UK Minister for Veterans, at which the Devolved Administrationsand a range of veterans’ organizations from across the United Kingdom (including Veterans Scotland, Combat Stress and PoppyScotland) are represented. The last meeting of the forum was on 15 June 2007 with the next meeting scheduled for 4 December 2007.
A full list of attendeesand the minutes of the forum can be found online at http://www.veterans-uk.info/vets_programme/vets_forum.html.
Scottishministers are also invited to attend the Veterans Taskforce, again chaired by theUK Minister for Veterans, but in recent years have beenunable to attend.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-04460 by reference.