The Scottish Government

SCOTLAND 'S VETERANS AND FORCES' COMMUNITIES: meeting our commitment

The Scottish Government's contribution to the Ministry of Defence Command Paper "The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans."

July 2008

Further copies of this document can be obtained from

Nicole Ronald
Social Inclusion: Veterans Issues
Scottish Government
Area 2-F (South)
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ

Telephone: 0131 244 0064

or via the Scottish Government's website at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Social-Inclusion/veterans

Scotland has a long and proud military history. The names of Scotland's regiments are renowned across the world with a Service record second to none. All of our sailors, air force personnel and soldiers demonstrate their dedication and professionalism time and time again and do so with great distinction and honour.

As a nation, Scotland has a tremendous debt of gratitude to pay to those Scots that serve in the Armed Forces. The commitment and indeed sacrifices that they make to defend our values and way of life should be properly and appropriately recognised. As part of this, it is essential that we ensure that our Services personnel have access to the very highest level of public services for which the Scottish Government has responsibility whilst they are stationed in Scotland.

Furthermore, that level of service and commitment should not simply cease when these brave men and women leave the Armed Forces and settle in Scotland. At a time in their lives when they can be at their most vulnerable, veterans should be able to access services which are adaptable and responsive and which meet their needs; and there should be an expectation for all of Scotland's veterans that those services will be available whenever they are needed. There is an obligation therefore upon Government to do all that it can to ensure that the needs and aspirations of both the Forces and veterans' communities are met.

This document therefore sets out a commitment on the part of this Government that seeks to recognise the unique circumstances and sacrifices that we ask our Servicemen and women to endure whilst similarly acknowledging the considerable contribution that they and the veterans' community make to civil society in Scotland.

We have already begun to turn that commitment into actions to assist Service personnel and veterans across Scotland. All of our veterans, including Reservists, now have access to Priority Treatment in the NHS for service related conditions based on clinical need and we have given Forces' members priority access to shared equity schemes to help first time home buyers. And we have doubled the amount of funding available to assist veterans' organisations through the Scottish Veterans' Fund.

This nation owes much to the men and women of its Armed Forces and to its veterans. We ask a great deal of them and it is only right that we offer some recompense. Much has already been achieved, however more still needs to be done if we are to begin repaying that debt of gratitude.

INTRODUCTION

Policy matters affecting the Armed Forces and veterans are reserved to the UK Parliament and to the Ministry of Defence. However, the different constitutional, institutional and cultural landscapes in Scotland mean that responsibility for the delivery of many public services fall within the devolved responsibilities of the Scottish Government.

Whilst the Ministry of Defence and Whitehall departments, along with the other Devolved Administrations will set out their own measures to meet the needs of the Armed Forces and veterans across the United Kingdom [1], this document details the measures that the Scottish Government has taken, or intends to take to provide support and assistance to the Armed Forces, their families and to our veterans' community across Scotland.

It is important of course for these measures to complement those being implemented elsewhere in the United Kingdom, in order to ensure a continuity of service provision. However it is also important that they take full account of the different governmental, social and judicial positions in Scotland. This document sets out the Scottish Government's commitment to Armed Forces' personnel, their families and to veterans with regard to its devolved responsibilities such as health and social care, education and training, transport and housing as well as providing a safe and nurturing society in which to live.

This document complements the Scottish Government's consultation paper on the well-being and welfare of the Armed Forces and veterans in Scotland. [2]

These initiatives are set out in greater detail below. The Scottish Government fully appreciates that the Armed Forces in Scotland, veterans' organizations and indeed veterans themselves have an important role to play in developing services provision that reflects their sometimes unique needs. The Government is always willing therefore to consider ways of engaging more and working in partnership with these groups in order to better understand their requirements and to discuss ways in which the Government can more effectively meet those requirements.

If you would like to comment on any aspect of this paper, or to take part in our current Consultation, please log onto our website at:

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Social-Inclusion/veterans,

or write to:

Alan Nicholson
Social Inclusion: Veterans' Issues
The Scottish Government
Area 2-F (South)
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ

OUR COMMITMENT

HEALTHCARE

The Scottish Government Consultation Paper acknowledges that there are unique and diverse health needs for both serving military personnel and those leaving the Services as a consequence of ill-health or injury, as well as for veterans for whom a health condition may take many years to become manifest and may not be obviously linked to their period of Service. Moreover, the source of ill-health for both serving and veteran personnel can vary from obvious physical injury through to PTSD and other mental health issues as a result of Service experience.

The Scottish Government will therefore support proposals to:

· Focus an increase in dental services provision in areas with increased Forces populations, including the increased use of mobile dental equipment etc.

· Increase the level of health service awareness of Forces/veterans' requirements.

These commitments are in addition to the Government already taking measures to:

· Extend the Priority Treatment scheme to all veterans, including Reservists, as of 29 February 2008. This means that any veteran who has a need for treatment as a consequence of their Service is entitled to priority treatment within the NHS based on clinical need. This goes beyond what the Priority Treatment scheme in England offers where there is no entitlement for Reservists.

· Develop a pilot project, in partnership with the MoD, NHS Lothian and veterans' organizations including Combat Stress, to provide services for veterans who experience mental ill-health. The pilot will go live in September this year and we will ensure that the lessons learned from this will be applied across all NHS Boards in Scotland.

· Undertaking an ambitious programme of capital building across Scotland to improve access to dental health services. Dental centres are being established in NHS Fife and NHS Highland areas, particularly relevant to the Forces in these areas. In recent years as a response to concern expressed by personnel at the RAF Leuchars air base, NHS Fife increased the workforce in the vicinity to cope with the needs of children of Services personnel. Other main areas of work are as listed below under the headings of Workforce, Scottish Dental Access Initiative and the Aberdeen Dental School.

· Ensure that injured veterans have access to a standard of State of the Art prosthetic limbs through NHSScotland equal to that provided by the Defence Medical Services.

The Government also acknowledges that Service mobility can have an impact on the time someone has to wait for NHS treatment. Consequently, we will ensure a continuity of care and treatment in so far as those who move between areas will retain their relative point on the pathway of care within the national waiting time target. Also, when patients move across the UK, previous waiting time will be taken into account with the expectation that treatment will be within national waiting time standards. As with any person moving between hospitals in the UK, Service members and their families will be treated as quickly as possible in order of clinical priority.

The Consultation Paper has sought the views of stakeholders and others on the issue of women serving in the Forces or whose partner serves, receiving in vitro fertilization (IVF) and being required to move station. The MoD have now committed not to move female personnel or families until the programme of IVF is complete.

HOUSING

It is generally accepted that Armed Forces personnel can be disadvantaged in the housing market as a result of their time in Service. The MoD Command Paper details several proposals to make it easier for Forces personnel and veterans to access housing and to address the real problems of veterans who face homelessness.

The housing and indeed homelessness landscape in Scotland is significantly different however to that in England, and the Scottish Government therefore will undertake to investigate the prevalence of local authorities not accepting Certificates of Cessation for Service personnel giving up Services Accommodation as demonstrating impending homelessness, and if necessary, look to issue further guidance on the issue.

At present, Local Authorities have a legal duty is to act if someone is threatened by homelessness within 2 months, however we would encouraging Local Authorities to act as early as possible to prevent homelessness. The Government's Code of Guidance on Homelessness already states that "Local authorities should be aware of certificates of cessation of entitlement to occupy service accommodation which may be forwarded by the applicant several months in advance of an individual or family leaving service accommodation, in order to allow early action to be taken to prevent homelessness occurring".

This commitment is in addition to measures already being taken forward to:

· Give Forces personnel (and those who have left the Forces within the past year) priority access to the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) shared equity schemes. This will help Forces personnel to get a foot on the housing ladder, where that is sustainable for them.

· Seek MoD agreement to giving Scottish Ministers, local authorities and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) priority in purchasing any surplus MoD land or properties in order to help meet the high demand for housing in Scotland.

· Ensure that our shared equity schemes are accessible and fully open to people with disabilities, including injured Service personnel and veterans. For example, we encourage RSLs to employ specialist assistance to help them purpose-design new build properties to meet the individual needs of buyers with disabilities.

· Ensure that, under Scottish homelessness legislation, an applicant for housing who is vulnerable because they have left the Forces will be treated as having a priority need for accommodation. Guidance to Scottish local authorities emphasises that they should act as early as possible to assist Service leavers in order to ensure that any threat of homelessness is mitigated.

The Consultation Paper notes current proposals on assessing entitlement for grant for adaptations in Scotland. AFCS/War Pensions and associated mobility supplements are already disregarded in assessing the resources of grant applicants. However, we have recently consult ed on proposals to abolish the test of resources and award grant at a minimum rate of 80%, rising to 100% for applicants in receipt of particular income replacement benefits. Responses to the consultation, which concluded on 1 July, are currently being considered. If implemented, the changes will benefit all disabled home owners seeking to adapt their homes.

The Consultation Paper also notes that social landlords in Scotland allocate their housing on the basis of housing need and take into account medical priority in allocating adapted social housing, ensuring that seriously injured ex-Service personnel are a high priority for adapted social housing. We are considering the need to highlight this priority and that landlords should be particularly mindful of the needs of ex-Service personnel who have been seriously injured in action when we next issue guidance on allocations.

The Scottish Government will also consider the need for legislation to amend Scottish homelessness laws so that employment/residence connected to Service is treated in the same way as civilian employment/residence. We would consult beforehand with the Service community and local authorities on any such amendment, recognising the particular issues which may be faced by those local authorities that host a significant number of Service personnel in large bases.

TRANSPORT

The Scottish Government will commit to improving the quality of life for injured veterans by extending the Blue Badge parking concession scheme to ensure that severely disabled veterans receive automatic entitlement to a Blue Badge without further assessment.

Furthermore the Scottish Government has already announced that it proposes to extend the provision of concessionary bus travel to injured veterans as part of its forthcoming review of the Scotland wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People, which is scheduled to take place between June- December 20008. Changes arising from the review are planned to take place from October 2008.

EDUCATION

Being a member of the Armed Forces can create barriers to the education not just of Service family children but also for Forces' personnel and their spouses as well. Regular postings throughout the UK and overseas and long periods of separation can create difficulties in schooling and can deny adults the opportunities to continue their own further, higher and vocational education.

The Scottish Government therefore will work with its partners to ensure a high level of schooling continuity for the children of Forces' families, and will ensure that this continuity applies for children with Additional Support Needs. Furthermore, the Government will cooperate with the Ministry of Defence and the other Devolved Administrations to identify any issues of under-achievement in the performance of Service family children, and take appropriate measures if necessary.

The Government will also introduce measures to allow Service leavers resident in Scotland, including those who choose to study part-time or elsewhere in the United kingdom, and with over 6 years' service, the opportunity to achieve their first SCQF level 6 qualification (SVQ-level 3 or equivalent) free from tuition fees. Similarly, for those who want to progress to higher levels, we will extend our fee arrangements to ensure that a Service leaver with 6 years' service can study a HNC, HND or full degree with no tuition fees.

We will also work with partners to develop new opportunities for Service families to access Basic Skills training through the spare capacity of Armed Forces education facilities.

EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYABILITY

Defence Career Partnering is an innovative project seeking flexible careers to allow individuals, employers and Ministry of Defence to co-operate. The Scottish Government will look to develop this project in partnership with stakeholders, employers and the Ministry of Defence as appropriate to enhance the two-way flow between Service and civilian employment

The Scottish Government and NHSScotland will continue to provide support for staff members who are also members of the Volunteer Reserve Forces in recognition of their courage and dedication, often at considerable personal sacrifice.

When Service personnel move location, their family often moves too. This can cause unemployment for partners and children beyond full-time education but still at home. For those family members employed in the public sector however, the Scottish Government and its partners, through better co-ordination and information sharing, will look to assist family members to transfer their public sector employment as a result of a Service move.

Moreover, the Government will look at developing ways in which it can develop tailored access routes for Service leavers into employment in the public sector in recognition of the high levels of technical and instructional expertise that many Service leavers have to offer.

This does not, however, imply any guarantee of unbroken employment, or of transfer of Terms and Conditions of Service, and would be subject to public sector rules on employment such the principle of fair and open competition. The Government will also do more to signpost Service leaver with applicable skills to other public sector employers such as Local Authorities.

LOCAL CO-OPERATION

The Scottish Government works in partnership to deliver service provision across the country. Along with the private and voluntary sectors, the Government also works closely with Scotland's local authorities to ensure that services are targeted at those who need them most and that they are delivered in the most effective manner.

The Government believes that there may be benefit from closer co-operation between local Armed Forces personnel and local authorities in Scotland, particularly in areas where there is a strong military presence, to consider issues of mutual interest. An appropriate vehicle for this co-operation and discussion locally might be through Community Planning Partnerships, which are convened by local authorities, however this is something that we will need to discuss with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, and the Consultation Paper seeks views on that.

That said however, there are measures that the Government can take to help Service personnel, their families and veterans at a local level. For example, contacts will be established between MoD and childcare partnerships in local authorities where there is a significant concentration of Service families in order to ensure that Service needs are taken into account in the childcare partnership review of supply and demand. Decisions on local service delivery matters will continue to rest with local authorities and their partners however.

Finally, and in full recognition of the contribution that veterans of all ages make to Scotland's civil society, the Scottish Government will double the level of funding available to the Scottish Veterans' Fund to almost £¼ million over the next three years (from £40,000 to £80,000 per annum) to support veterans' organizations and charities with projects and initiatives that assist veterans and their families through activities such as veterans day commemorations, research and public awareness raising.

The Scottish Veterans' Fund complements the MoD's Veterans Challenge Fund and organizations are encouraged to apply to both funds for assistance.

The Scottish Government

Edinburgh, July 2008

SCOTLAND'S VETERANS AND FORCES' COMMUNITIES: meeting our commitment

SUMMARY OF SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

ww w.scotland.gov.uk

[1] The MoD Command Paper, " The Nation's Commitment: Cross-Government support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans" was launched in the UK Parliament on 17 July 2008.

[2] The Scottish Government consultation paper " Scotland's Veterans and Forces' Communities: meeting their well-being and welfare needs" was launched on 26 June 2008 and will run to 29 August 2008.

It is available at

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Social-Inclusion/veterans