Scottish Government launch document underlining commitment to war veterans

• Document will provide advice to families about education for children, social housing applications prior to discharge, and provision of prosthetic limbs

• The Scottish Veterans’ Fund - an initiative providing £400,000 of grant assistance - is also included in the Armed Forces Commitment Paper

Mr Brown launched his Armed Forces Commitment Paper at an event at Edinburgh Castle at which the UK Government was represented by the Conservative Scotland Office minister David Mundell.

The document sets out what the Scottish Government is doing to address the health, housing, education and justice needs of current and former service men and women.

Veterans of the Falklands and Northern Irish conflicts were also on hand to lend their support to the initiative.

Key commitments outlined in the paper that have already been undertaken by the Scottish Government include providing online advice to service families about education for their children, allowing service personnel to apply for social housing prior to discharge from the Armed Forces, providing injured veterans with state of the art prosthetic limbs, and creating the Scottish Veterans’ Fund – an initiative which has provided £400,000 of grant assistance to 60 projects since 2008.

Launching the commitments paper at Edinburgh Castle, Mr Brown said:

“Scotland’s soldiers, sailors and airmen and airwomen are amongst the best in the world, and their bravery, loyalty and professionalism deserves our wholehearted care and support.

“This commitments paper sets out our obligations to serving personnel, their families, reservists, veterans and the bereaved and how we will continue to meet these.

“With input from partner organisations like Veterans Scotland, we will continue to develop, deliver and implement new and innovative policies to support this dedicated group of men and women.”

Brigadier Paul Harkness, the Commander of 51 Brigade, said: “I warmly welcome the Scottish Government’s Commitments paper outlining their support for servicemen and women in Scotland, families and veterans. The Armed Forces Covenant established by the UK Government set out unwavering commitments to our Service community, and I am pleased that the Scottish Government has set out their commitments to meet these obligations.

“This initiative by the Scottish Government provides reassurance to all Service personnel, both past and present, living in Scotland.”