Written Question: Veterans' Commissioner

Answered by Keith Brown (05/03/2015):The Commissioner, Eric Fraser, spent an initial period meeting with and listening to key interests involved in delivering support to the veterans’ community in Scotland. These included local authorities, health boards, service delivery organisations, ex-service charities and, crucially, individual veterans.

Drawing on these wide ranging discussions and information gathering, the Commissioner has now produced a strategy and workplan for 2015 that he is publishing today and available to view at:http://scotland.gov.uk/About/public-bodies/veterans-commissioner/Publications. The Commissioner has set out a testing and ambitious programme but I believe it is achievable and will lead both to new and improved support and opportunities for veterans. The Commissioner will prioritise his 2015 work on housing and employability issues impacting on veterans.

He will also examine the findings and recommendations contained within the 2014 report from Lord Ashcroft entitled Veterans transition Review, commissioned by the Prime Minister, in order to advise Scottish Ministers on how best they can be addressed and implemented in Scotland in respect of our devolved responsibilities. A copy of the strategy and workplan will be available in SPICe.

The Commissioner will be happy to engage at the earliest opportunity on his strategy and workplan with MSPs and other interests and, as a first step, will attend a ‘Meet The Commissioner’ Scottish Parliamentary reception on 1 April 2015 hosted by the Chairman of the Cross Party Group on Armed Forces Veterans.