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Help for Scottish war heroes
06/05/2008
A new dedicated fund for Scotland's war veterans has been announced today.
The Scottish Veteran's Fund marks, for the first time, direct investment from the Scottish Government in services for ex-servicemen and women.
Totalling £127,000, over the next three years, the fund is designed to recognise the contribution that veterans have made and continue to make to Scottish society.
It will be targeted at projects and organisations working directly with veterans and their families.
The Government will discuss with Veterans Scotland on how best to deliver administer and deliver the fund.
Speaking at the Ministry of Defence Scottish Veteran's Conference in Edinburgh, Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell said:
"Our Scottish war heroes have selflessly fought to protect the freedoms we enjoy in this country.
"It's time to recognise the valuable and meaningful contribution made by the veteran community to day-to-day life across Scotland.
"The skills, experiences and confidence with which their service careers equip them, enable our veterans to make the very best of the opportunities afforded to them in civilian life.
"This fund will not on its own solve the problems that some of our ex-servicemen and women face, but it will help to ease the burden of those working with veterans in Scotland today."
Ron Smith from Veterans Scotland said:
"The prospect of a dedicated Scottish Veterans' Fund is one that Veterans Scotland would fully support.
"We welcome the work undertaken with the Scottish Government to deliver for the needs and aspirations of Scotland's veterans."
The Scottish Veteran's Fund will help Scotland's community of ex-servicemen and women and their families. The Scottish Government is currently liaising with Veterans Scotland to determine the best way in which to administer the fund and the criteria against which applications for funding will be assessed.
Veterans issues are a reserved matter for Westminster but through the devolution settlement the Scottish Government has responsibility to Scotland's veterans in housing, health and social care, education, skills and employability and social inclusion.
The Scottish Veteran's Fund is designed to run as a complementary programme to the Veteran's Challenge Fund which is administered by the Ministry of Defence.