Official Report 343KB pdf
Our next item of business is a debate on motion S7M-01993, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on remembering the service of the armed forces community.
16:03
It is a privilege to open today’s debate on behalf of the Scottish Government. Each November, people across Scotland come together to honour the brave men and women of our armed forces who, across generations, have served to protect our country and the freedoms that we enjoy today.
On Sunday, as I do each year, I laid a wreath in my constituency to honour those killed in war. The war memorial in Cumbernauld village lists the names of 61 men from the Cumbernauld district who were killed in the first world war and 24 men who were killed in the second world war. Cumbernauld was not a new town of more than 50,000 residents then; it was a small village surrounded by farm steadings with a population just in the hundreds. As in so many communities across Scotland, the loss to the locality was significant.
Yesterday, all party leaders gathered with our Presiding Officer and other elected members in the Parliament’s garden lobby to come together in a two-minute silence as a signal of our shared commitment to honour and remember all those who lost their lives in conflict—both military personnel and civilians. We pay particular tribute to those from Scotland, across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and our allied nations, whose courage, service and sacrifice helped to secure the liberties and relative peace that we enjoy today.
Although remembrance holds profound national significance, members from all parties will bring their own personal reflections and connections to today’s debate, because it is deeply personal for many families and communities.
At this time, as many will during the debate, I particularly think of family members who served. During world war two, one grandfather served on the home front and another served in the 51st Highland division of the Seaforth Highlanders in North Africa, Italy and France, while my great-grandfather served in the first world war. I do not doubt that we will hear of similar family experiences from other members, and that is a reminder of the deep-rooted familial links with military service in Scotland.
Scotland is home to a large and vibrant armed forces and veterans community, and the contributions of charities and third sector organisations are essential in providing support, advice and advocacy across the country. I am sure that I speak for all members when I express our gratitude to all those—whether volunteers, fundraisers, staff or supporters—who contribute to that work.
At this time, we particularly recognise the poppy appeal and the vital work that it funds throughout the year. The appeal provides practical care, advice and support to serving personnel, veterans and their families across Scotland. This year, for the first time and in a symbolic moment that I hope will become a lasting tradition, the First Minister made the first donation to the Scottish poppy appeal and received the first poppy.
The appeal’s success depends on the commitment and dedication of volunteers in communities across the country and on the generosity of the Scottish public. Through their endeavours, every penny raised in Scotland directly supports veterans and their families here in Scotland, and I offer my sincere thanks to all those who collect, organise, volunteer and give. Through their efforts, remembrance is translated into practical support.
As ever, the work of Legion Scotland is invaluable in leading remembrance activity across our country. I am grateful for all that it does, not only to ensure that those who served are remembered with dignity but to support veterans and their families throughout the year.
The events that Legion Scotland organises, alongside the many local services and commemorations that take place throughout Scotland, provide an important opportunity to honour those who have fallen, and to recognise those who continue to serve and those who support our armed forces community.
On Sunday, the First Minister attended the national service of remembrance at the city chambers in Edinburgh and the Deputy First Minister attended the service of remembrance at George Square in Glasgow. I was privileged to attend Legion Scotland’s festival of remembrance at the Usher hall last weekend. It was a moving and memorable occasion focusing on those who served in Afghanistan, combining moments of reflection with the recognition of service and sacrifice. That evening, we heard from the mother of a young man who served in Afghanistan with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and, tragically, lost his life in conflict. She told us how the military working dog that he served alongside also died while being transported back to base. Amid unimaginable grief, she found some comfort in knowing that he was not alone in his final journey.
The wife and son of a veteran carried the book of remembrance on to the stage. Their loved one had served in the army for a number of years prior to being injured during his service in Afghanistan. He was brought back to the UK and received excellent care and rehabilitation but, sadly, passed away less than a year later as a result of his injuries, with his son still unspeakably young at the time when he lost his father.
Those experiences remain with me, because they speak to something at the heart of remembrance. Behind every name etched in stone, every wreath laid and every poppy worn, there is a family whose loss never leaves them. Their experience reminds us of the impact of war, not only on those who serve but on those left behind.
The consequences of conflict do not end when the fighting stops but can echo for generations. Legion Scotland also plays a vital role in helping younger generations to understand the impact of conflict and the true cost of war. Through commemorations and opportunities to engage with veterans, the experiences and sacrifices of those who served are brought vividly to life, ensuring that history remains personal, relevant and meaningful.
As the years pass by, the events of wartime pass further into history. In the past week, we lost one of Scotland’s last surviving D day veterans with the passing of Charlie Horne, whom the First Minister met at the Normandy commemorations in 2024. In our time, we have seen the passing of the generation who served in the first world war and are now seeing the passing of those who served in the second world war. It therefore becomes ever more important that we preserve their lessons and continue to honour those who sacrificed their futures for our tomorrow.
Remembrance calls on us to recognise the experience of civilians whose lives were irrevocably altered by conflict, the communities shattered by war and the families left to endure uncertainty, anxiety and loss. At a time when conflict continues to affect communities across the world, it is ever more important that we reflect on the courage shown by those who came before us and on the lessons that history teaches.
Remembrance is not about glorifying war and it is not a celebration of conflict; rather, it is an act of collective reflection. It is an opportunity to honour courage, service and sacrifice while recognising the profound human cost that war inflicts. In remembering the past, we renew our commitment to a more peaceful future. At time for reflection in the chamber on Tuesday, the Rev Dr Alistair May said to us:
“we mark armistice day. We do not celebrate; we remember.”—[Official Report, 10 November 2026; c 1.]
Those few words capture the spirit of the season perfectly.
I move,
That the Parliament pays tribute to all individuals across Scotland, the UK, the Commonwealth and Allied Nations who were harmed or killed in war; is grateful to those who served and sacrificed to build the relative peace and freedoms that people enjoy today; acknowledges the enduring importance of the Remembrance period to families and communities and the importance of maintaining awareness amongst younger generations as events become more distant; remembers all victims of wars, those that happened in the past as well as those happening now, and recognises Scotland’s Veterans and Armed Forces community and the significant contribution that they continue to make to the nation.
16:11
I am pleased to open for Labour in this year’s debate and also to have signed the Government’s motion in a spirit of consensus. I thank the minister for his opening remarks and, in particular, for his personal reflections on what this time of year means to him and his family.
With 176,000 veterans across Scotland and about 14,000 currently serving in our armed forces, and considering the family and friends networks, this cuts close and is very meaningful for a huge swathe of the Scottish population. It is a sober period of reflection for our country and it is right that we come together in the Parliament today to mark it.
The motion asks us to pay tribute to all those
“who were harmed or killed in war”,
and it asks us to keep awareness alive among younger generations as the events of major wars become thankfully more distant. The emphasis in the Government’s motion is the right one, and it is also a reminder that the wars of the past are not all in the past. We must remember victims of wars that are being fought today and those who continue to carry the enduring scars of their experiences.
On Sunday, I attended the service at the Glasgow cenotaph in George Square to remember all those who left the familiar tenement closes of my home city to serve their country but never came back. Remembrance services are a moment of sadness and pain at lives lost too soon, but they are also a moment to get together and celebrate absent friends. For many of us who have served in the armed forces, remembrances are as much about catching up with old pals as they are about solemn reflection, which is a powerful form of therapy in itself. Over the years, I have found that that allows many of my friends who are struggling in ways that they find hard to explain, even to their comrades, to find some comfort. There is still a culture, particularly in the army, of people not talking about their difficulties. That is why this debate matters so much to me personally.
More than 100,000 people from across the UK served in operations Telic and Herrik in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are people of my generation and they are not only the veterans of a distant war; many of them are our neighbours or colleagues in our workplaces, and they contribute to their communities every day. Many are carrying more of a burden than we might be able to see or fully appreciate.
I am reminded of my own experiences almost every day when walking past the Canongate kirk, because, in 2013, that was where we carried out one of my best friends, Robert Hetherington, who was killed in Helmand province, in Afghanistan, at the age of just 25. At this time of year, I often reflect on what he could be doing today. This was a man who was captain of the Scotland lacrosse team, who was excelling at university and who thought that going to serve on a tour as a reservist in Afghanistan would be a great experience for him before considering going off to serve in the regular army. Sadly, his potential as one of the finest figures of my generation was never fully realised. That wasted potential is often at the forefront of my mind at this time of year.
I am sure that many members in the chamber today will pay tribute to the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, Lieutenant Commander Susie Hamilton. I am grateful that she will continue in her post until June next year, and I thank her for holding both the Government, and the Parliament as an institution collectively, to account with such diligence and good grace.
An eighth progress report has been published that covers all of her recommendations, and I will be candid and say that it is a more sober read than last year’s. Last year, I noted with some pride that there were no red actions, which showed a Parliament united behind the Government’s efforts. This year, the commissioner has told us that progress has slowed. She describes a “muted picture overall” and says that she is disappointed. As we are early in a new parliamentary session and the Government has only just set out its programme, I take that as a challenge to be met in the coming months, not as a verdict that we should necessarily feel despair about.
Several areas stand out. On mental health, the commissioner acknowledges that some significant milestones are being reached this year. The national framework was published in March, the wraparound service is due to begin this month and the digital hub is expected in the new year. I welcome all of that, but, as I have said before in Parliament, the concern is how long it has taken to get here.
We know that veterans can wait many years before asking for help. Having asked for help, they should not have to wait again and continually have to relate their difficulties. Where in the country a veteran lives should not determine whether they can get support. I hope that the minister will be able to confirm that veterans first point services will not be left with a gap as the new model beds in.
On homelessness, I welcome the new local housing strategy guidance, which asks local authorities to consider the needs of veterans as well as those of spouses, partners, children and the bereaved. I also welcome the changes in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 that bring forward the point at which councils must act.
However, the commissioner is clear that minimal progress has been made on the veterans’ homelessness prevention pathway. I raised that issue two years ago, when progress on the pathway was already described as slow. Three years on from that point, no one who has served should be facing the prospect of sleeping rough. I support the commissioner’s call for a working group to give the work rigour and focus, and I hope that the Government will say today that it will establish one. The minister still has an opportunity to say so in his closing remarks.
The commissioner is clear that much of the progress that has been made has come from partnership with the third sector, and that is my experience, too. The increasing of the Scottish veterans fund to £600,000 a year and the extra funding for Veterans Scotland will help. The SSAFA Connect service in Glasgow remains the model that I want to be implemented everywhere in Scotland, because it is the one place where a veteran can walk in and get help with housing, benefits, employment and health in a one-stop shop. There is lots to be done, but we must celebrate SSAFA Connect’s success. I am pleased that the UK Government has supported that model through a £1 million grant from the Valour scheme, which will allow it to expand across the M8 corridor. That expansion will greatly reinforce the model.
This is the 10th time that we have had this debate, and I am conscious that members’ contributions can sound very familiar from year to year, but that is partly because the problems are persistent and partly because the good will in the Parliament is real. Labour will support the Government’s motion, and we will keep working with the Government, the commissioner and the charities to deliver. Those who have served our country deserve nothing less.
16:17
Because I am a former submariner and because Faslane sits in my region, my speech will be mainly about the submarine service.
Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, former First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, made this famous statement condemning submarine warfare in 1901. He declared that submarines were
“underhanded, unfair and damned un-English”,
and he suggested that captured submariners should be treated as pirates and hanged. Of course, he was not referring to Royal Navy submariners, but our submariners delighted in that characterisation and readily adopted the Jolly Roger.
One of the earliest examples of that occurred on the morning of 13 September 1914, when RN submarine HMS E9 torpedoed and sank the German cruiser SMS Hela. To mark the crew’s achievement—and, one suspects, to thumb their collective noses at the admiral’s characterisation—E9’s captain, Lieutenant Commander Max Horton, proudly, and perhaps defiantly, flew the Jolly Roger while returning to port.
The submarine community has always been a very small one in comparison with the rest of the Royal Navy. The submarine losses during the first and second world wars were devastating. During the first world war, we lost 54 submarines and, during the second, we lost 79. Submariners hold their remembrance weekend the weekend before remembrance Sunday events.
The official story of how that came to be is that, because of the devastating submarine losses during the first world war, submariners were provided with a separate day on which to remember those they had lost, in their own silent way. That is the official party line. Another version is that, at the time, the Admiralty was not especially fond of submarines or submariners. They were often viewed with an element of distrust, and they were not particularly liked by other parts of the armed forces. Therefore, they were deliberately excluded from official remembrance events. Yet another version, which might also be true, at least in part, is that submariners were a scruffy bunch. They often smelled of diesel and were really bad at marching. There is not much of a requirement to march on board a submarine, and there is nowhere to hang up your number 1 uniform, so that story is more than credible.
.This year, I was incredibly privileged to attend a dedication to the submarine service on Saturday 31 October at Westminster abbey and then the submariners’ remembrance service at Middle Temple gardens in London on 1 November, where I laid a wreath on behalf of the Scottish Parliament. At the service on the Saturday, “The Diesel Submariners Prayer” was read out. I would like to share it with members, just to get it on the record:
“Our Captain, who art in the control room,hallowed be thy aim.Thy targets come,they will be done,on the surface as in Neptune’s kingdom.
Give us this day our daily totAnd forgive us our defaults,as we forgive those who default against us.Lead us into calm waters,and deliver us from roughers.
For thine is the oceanthe power in the batteriesuntil we have to charge them againPipe down”.
I attended the event with a small group of veteran peers. However, we were a cohort of veterans who were noticeably low in numbers. There were groups of cadets, which was lovely to see, and there were older veterans of the 60-plus cohort, which was also lovely to see. Standing shoulder to shoulder with them were serving members of the submarine service. The number of those wearing bomber pins, which distinguish those who have served on Trident submarines, was particularly low.
Those who serve in our armed forces, throughout their time in the services, learn all about the historic achievements and sacrifices of those who have gone before them. They also have a unique understanding of what it must have been like during the world wars, and with that understanding comes an even deeper respect, which they would never have gained had they themselves not served.
Many of the current cohort of service leavers are incredibly angry about the state of our armed forces. Defence gets hit hardest at the front line. Social and political commentary that attacks the armed forces and memorials is particularly offensive to our veterans. It is okay to disagree with political choices, but disagreement should never be directed at our armed forces or veterans.
As a submariner, the member will appreciate that not all conflicts are fought in plain view. I am thinking, in particular, of our submariners who are now enduring patrols of up to 200 days under water without any contact with their friends or family. That requires a particular form of mental resilience that we can all truly admire.
I totally agree, and I will come on to that in the next part of my speech.
I have witnessed grown men—outstanding men who have done more than 20 years’ service—literally burst into tears because of the pressures of getting a boat to sea. I have witnessed a man have a nervous breakdown on board due to the pressures of trying to keep a boat at sea. I have had conversations with very impressive junior rates who we wanted to send for promotion but who declined it and then left the service. One of them even stated that he was leaving because he did not want to end up as miserable as we were.
Make no mistake: the intense pressures that our service members face come from political choices. They are the veterans of tomorrow. The reason why that is so important in this debate is that those service leavers are losing sight of remembrance. Many of them are disengaging and they are not being seen at remembrance services. What I ask of the Parliament is that, while we reflect on remembrance, we never lose sight of what those in our armed forces are doing now and that we take every opportunity to put our arms around them and show them all our support and respect, regardless of our politics.
16:23
I thank the minister for his remarks. I also fully associate myself with the remarks of Paul Sweeney and offer him my heartfelt condolences on the loss of his friend.
I am deeply honoured to take part in this debate, in which everybody across the chamber has the opportunity to show consensus in our respect for those who have sacrificed more than any of us here could begin to imagine. Just over 80 years ago, Europe’s darkest chapter came to a close. After years of fighting, struggling and pushing for the dignity of peoples, the horror of what had taken place across our continent and beyond it began to take shape. Men and women all round our country began to mourn not just the many who gave their lives for us but because of the sheer cruelty of humankind, which was exposed across our newspapers and news bulletins. We vowed that we would never forget, and we shall not.
However, as the numbers of veterans of that war become more and more sparse, it is now more important than ever that we keep their memory and sacrifices alive. During that time, many people—predominantly working-class young men—witnessed the horrors of the crumbling of democracy and the lack of freedom. How far can a mob go when it is whipped up by language intended to other and harm? We should be proud that our ancestors stood against that, just as many of us continue to do today.
In that cohort stood my great-grandfather and grandpop, whose valiance and bravery I carry every day in their honour. What met them and others represented the worst of humankind: dehumanisation, bloodshed and the loss of the most important thing, which is the sanctity of life. They fought for freedom, democracy and hope, and, as the true, original anti-fascists, in the name of our families and the future that we are all now in the chamber to shepherd. We remember their sacrifice, not just because they did it but because of how much they gave to do it and how much they instilled those values in the society that we have now.
As the minister said, the war did not end when the last bullet was fired. Many people returned harmed, disabled and traumatised by the unspeakable horrors that they had seen and afflicted with what we used to call shellshock but is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder. They came back to a Government that, in many cases, was willing to support them and was focused on their reintegration needs. As many members have mentioned, perhaps we should re-evaluate whether that is still the case as we look to the veterans of today. Some 50 per cent of surveyed veterans say that leaving the forces has left them socially isolated. Almost one in five has struggled with depression, and others claim that they are unable to sleep. Although we have a fantastic suite of post-forces charity organisations, perhaps our Government could do more to ensure that those who fought for us are fought for by the entire country.
As members will know, despite our best efforts, the effects of war did not end in 1945. Many other people, some from places close to home and others far away from here, have suffered and continue to suffer the horrors of war and bloodshed. Just east from here, our Ukrainian brothers and sisters once again face a dictator intent on harming for his own gain. Further afield, the genocide in Gaza continues to harm, scar and traumatise so many, and British veterans are murdered simply for trying to distribute food. War is the force of last resort, and economies of war are ones that we should not support. The good people of this country and this world should isolate those leaders, whether of businesses or countries, who support and work to catalyse war.
I am proud to take part in today’s remembrance debate. As many other members do, I believe that remembering those who sacrificed for us and supporting our surviving veterans make it incumbent on us to eradicate war and destroy the possibility of creating another generation that has to mourn. Last Sunday, colleagues from across the political spectrum gathered in remembrance at Glasgow cenotaph, where the Rev Mark Johnstone reminded us that it is on us to be peacekeepers and to remember why we fought, why we must never let that happen again, why we must not dehumanise, why we must reduce war and conflict, why we must accept and welcome those who flee, and why we should harken far back as to why we gather every year to remember.
I remember so that future generations will not have to mourn; I remember to fight so that it never happens again; and I continue to remember so that our humanity is never forgotten and so that we never forget. I hope that colleagues in the chamber will remember as well.
16:28
I pay tribute to those from across Britain and the Commonwealth and all our allies who fought for our freedoms.
On Sunday, I attended the remembrance service in Helensburgh, which is beside HM Naval Base Clyde. David Smith—who, I can confirm, does not smell of diesel—was also there. Faslane is home to Britain’s nuclear deterrent, which I visited a few weeks ago. I take this opportunity to thank the people who work there, especially the Royal Navy sub-admirals who, as Paul Sweeney pointed out, can spend many months at a time submerged under the waves. I am also grateful to the families of Britain’s service personnel—army, navy and air force. Forces families live a life of service, uncertainty and upheaval, going wherever their service takes them. It is those quiet, dutiful, unassuming men and women and their families who keep our country safe.
Our generation has been blessed by relative peace. Our peace, however, is not a given right but a hard-won privilege. That privilege has been earned by the blood and the sacrifice of others, which is why we take our remembrance seriously and why it must endure.
Almost 1.3 million British service personnel were killed during the first and second world wars combined. The numbers are so great that they are hard to comprehend, just as it is hard for any of us to truly comprehend the horrors of war. Today, we remember those slaughtered in the blood-soaked fields of the western front; those who perished on the high seas; those who took to the skies, never to return; and those civilians who were bombed in Clydebank and other parts of Britain.
Russell Findlay makes a good point about how we fathom the scale of the destruction. One of the interesting things that was done during the centenary of the first world war was a walking tour of Dennistoun, in Glasgow. We had records of everyone who was killed in that community, and participants went to visit the tenement flats where they had perished. We saw that, in every close, a family had been bereaved. That truly brought the scale of it home. Perhaps more such community-based activities could help us to appreciate that.
I can only imagine how profound and impactful it would have been for people to see that on their own doorsteps. Last year, I was at a service in Kilmacolm, where the minister had taken the time to research the names on the war memorial. He brought those stories to life in much the same way, which made them much more impactful for local families and the local community.
So many young lives were extinguished during those times. When I was in Helensburgh on Sunday, I was asked to inspect the young army cadets of today. They were smart, engaging and inspiring. I asked one particularly youthful cadet what age he was, and he replied that he was 15 years and 10 months. He told me that on his 16th birthday he would be signing up, and I wished him all the best. Fifteen years and 10 months is exactly the same age as a young man called Rifleman Valentine Joe Strudwick, who was killed in Belgium during the first world war. It is hard to imagine, but, at that time, so many other 15 and 16-year-olds—mere children—went to war, never to return. They are the ones who gave their tomorrows for our today, and we must remember them
Although we all pray for no bloodshed in the future, we must also be prepared. We must look at Putin’s relentless slaughter of the brave people of Ukraine; think of the fragility of the alliances that have kept us safe for so long; and listen to warnings from the security services and senior military figures about a new form of hybrid warfare through cyberattacks, bomb threats, drones, assassinations and dirty money in our elections. We all recognise that that is why we need to spend more money on our defence. As the ancient Roman saying goes: if you want peace, prepare for war.
16:33
I declare that I am a sitting councillor.
I would like to take a moment to thank Paul Sweeney for his incredibly moving speech and say that I am incredibly sorry for the loss of his friend.
As a councillor for the Black Isle, in Highland Council, I have worked very closely with people connected to the armed forces, past and present, so I am immensely grateful to speak in the debate.
Remembrance asks two things of us. First, it asks us to look back and to commemorate those who have given their lives for our freedom, pledging that we strive to never again return to the violence and the loss of the past, but the second ask is much harder. It asks us what we owe those who have served in the armed forces and returned to civilian life. That is a question that people in the armed forces community never wait for politicians to answer. When they see a challenge, they instantly rise to meet it—look at C company of the seventh battalion. They cycled more than 800 miles across Scotland over nine days to raise money to support serving soldiers, veterans and their families, and they are not alone.
One organisation that has been responding to that ask for over 100 years is Erskine Veterans Charity, which I know many members will be familiar with. This year marks its 110th anniversary, and in that time it has provided life-altering, and often life-saving, service to more than 100,000 veterans in Scotland.
Erskine has done extraordinary work in my region. Two years ago, Erskine took over the old Victoria hotel in Forres and turned it into a veterans activity centre. I had the pleasure of visiting the centre earlier this year. It offers counselling, a gym, art and information technology classes, and financial advice. Most importantly, it provides a space where veterans can feel welcome and safe, and where they can socialise with people who understand what it is like to leave the armed forces. The centre could not be better placed, as Moray has the highest concentration of veterans anywhere in Scotland. Around 9 per cent of the population have served in the armed forces.
The centre’s reach goes much further than that. The staff go out of their way to ensure that no veteran is left behind, by allowing veterans from across the Highlands to access their services. That kinship is evident in the community around the centre. Staff have told us of the amazing donations and support from local residents. They have told us about the success stories of veterans who came to the centre at their lowest point, who now have a place where they feel they belong.
Sadly, staff have also told us harrowing stories, including of veterans sleeping in tents outside the centre, struggling to find a home and often feeling unable to ask for help.
Veterans are among the most capable people in our communities, and the great majority get on well with civilian life, bringing with them skills that all employers should want. For some, however, civilian life is more of a challenge. In cases where that happens, the failure is on us, as politicians, for not doing more to help them overcome those hurdles.
Around 800 homelessness applications are made in Scotland each year by households containing somebody who was in the armed forces. I suspect that the true figure is far higher. Indeed, Poppyscotland has been clear that the existing data does not capture the full picture.
I appreciate that the Scottish Government is trying to make progress here. The difficulty, as colleagues have said in the chamber previously, is the pace. I understand that the challenge is a difficult one to overcome, but I go back to where I started: remembrance asks us, as politicians and as wider society, what we owe those who have served in the armed forces now that they have returned to our communities.
I am grateful for the words that Morven-May MacCallum is saying about our veterans. Paul Sweeney referred to Susie Hamilton, the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, who produces an annual report. Indeed, he mentioned the annual report in his speech. Does Morven-May MacCallum agree that we should ask the Minister for Veterans, who also happens to be the Minister for Parliamentary Business, whether there would be scope for a debate, in Government time, as an annual event, to consider the commissioner’s report, so that the issues that Morven-May MacCallum is raising might be properly discussed in the chamber? I have lodged a motion, which some members have generously signed, for a members’ business debate on the matter to be held in the chamber, but I think that such debates would be better sponsored by the Scottish Government.
I thank the member for that valuable contribution. I would absolutely support that idea. Anything that we can do to highlight how we might better support our veterans is to be warmly welcomed.
This is a rather odd way to do this, but I am happy to confirm that, in the new year, I intend to secure a debate on these matters—with the agreement of the Parliamentary Bureau.
I appreciate that—it is very warmly welcomed.
We owe our veterans and the organisations supporting them so much more than our gratitude. As much as I would like to give my personal thanks to all veterans and the organisations supporting them, I also wish to make a plea that we do more to support them.
We move to the open debate.
16:39
I welcome the opportunity to mark remembrance and to pay tribute to those who have served in conflicts around the world. My Moray constituency has a long and proud association with the armed forces. Generations of local families have served, and the impact of conflicts has been felt by many of the people I represent.
The scale of the losses in Moray during the first and second world wars can be difficult to comprehend, and they changed the lives of families and communities for ever. That can be powerfully seen in the Cabrach. At the turn of the 20th century, it was a thriving rural community with a population of more than 1,000 people, but the first world war had a devastating impact on the population. A significant proportion of the young men and boys who called that farming community home left to serve and lost their lives. Homes and farms were left empty, and a ghost continues to haunt the community today.
One of those men was Corporal Norman John Robertson, an educated young man who enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders. He was sent to France in 1916. He was severely wounded while fixing wire entanglements under fire, and he died on 30 May 1916. The Cabrach soldiers cairn at Inverharroch ensures that he and all those who left for war and never returned are never forgotten.
In Moray, we do not need to travel far to see permanent reminders of how communities were shaped by the second world war. As we walk the beautiful beaches of the Moray coast, there remain coastal defences, pillboxes and anti-invasion fortifications—reminders that, for past generations, the threat of invasion was very real. In Burghead, the Shetland bus memorial stands as a reminder of the community’s role in operations to support resistance against Nazi occupation and help people to escape occupied Norway. One of those involved was Ola Grotle—a Norwegian fisherman and resistance fighter. He was lost at sea in January 1943 alongside seven other men. The memorial at Burghead is a fitting tribute to Ola and a lasting symbol of the friendship between Scotland and Norway.
However, it is not just the contribution of the men that we must remember. Women, too, made significant sacrifices during times of war. The iconic Women’s Land Army monument at Clochan commemorates the women who worked the land and helped to keep the country fed while men were serving overseas. The sacrifice of Nurse Mary Fraser, who was a member of the voluntary aid detachment, is listed alongside the names of the servicemen who are commemorated at New Elgin—another significant reminder that women, too, made extraordinary sacrifices.
As members will know, Moray’s strong relationship with the armed forces continues today. RAF Lossiemouth remains one of the most important bases in the country, supporting operations at home and overseas, and Kinloss barracks is home to the Army’s 39 Engineer Regiment. I am also very proud to be the MSP who represents the highest population of veterans in Scotland. Our armed forces and veterans community is at the heart of Moray’s community identity and local life. It was an enormous privilege to join Moray’s armed forces community in Elgin on Sunday to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country’s future.
I will close with the words of Mary Symon of Dufftown, whose poem “The Soldiers’ Cairn” is a poignant reflection on the impact of war on rural communities.
“Lads in your plaidies lyin’ stillIn lands we’ll never see,This lanely cairn on a hameland hillIs a’ that oor love can dee”.
We must never forget those who gave their tomorrow for our today.
16:43
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am an elected councillor at Glasgow City Council.
Remembrance is a time to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. It is a time to reflect on their courage, their service and the freedom that their sacrifice helped to protect. Today, however, I want to reflect particularly on those whose contributions have too often been forgotten.
In my constituency, the Nitshill war memorial serves as a lasting reminder of those from my community who lost their lives in the two world wars. During some of the darkest periods in our history, people from across our nation came together, but we did not do it alone. At home, brave men and women volunteered to play their part in whatever way they could to protect their country. To see that, we need look no further than Pollock house, in my constituency, which is now a National Trust for Scotland site. It was transformed into a hospital, and recovering soldiers of all ranks received care there, which helped to reduce the strain on hospitals that were supporting the war effort.
However, our wartime history extends far beyond our own communities and the shores of Britain. We must also ensure that the millions of people from beyond the United Kingdom who served and sacrificed in support of the allied war effort are not forgotten. In world war one, nearly 1.5 million people from the Indian subcontinent served in the military and supporting roles. That includes Khudadad Khan, the first Indian soldier and first Muslim to be awarded the Victoria cross, the highest award for bravery on the battlefield. Despite being wounded, Khan continued firing his weapon as his fellow soldiers fell to the ground, helping to hold back the German forces until reinforcements arrived.
When the world was at war again, 2.5 million men and women volunteered for the British Indian Army, forming the largest volunteer army in history. Force K6 was a unit of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps during the second world war, which was predominantly made up of south Asian soldiers. After escaping Dunkirk and Saint-Nazaire in 1940, the men rebuilt their ranks and trained in Wales. More than 1,700 of them would later come to the Highlands of Scotland, where they trained in the rugged conditions of Badenoch. The story of Force K6 carries a particular personal significance. Among those who served was a soldier named Abdul Ghani—the very same name as my grandfather. It is a small but important reminder of how closely connected our histories are.
For Britain and the Commonwealth, victory brought relief and celebration but also immense grief for those who never returned. Some 87,000 personnel from the British Indian Army lost their lives during the second world war. At a time when division can, too often, overshadow what brings us together, we should remember that people of different backgrounds, faiths and communities stood side by side in defence of our country. Their sacrifice is not separate from our history; it is an integral part of it.
I thank Colourful Heritage and the many organisations and individuals across Scotland who work tirelessly to ensure that those stories and sacrifices are never forgotten. Colourful Heritage’s work to establish a memorial at Kelvingrove museum to recognise the contributions of south Asian servicemen in both world wars is an important part of that effort. It will provide a place for reflection, learning and recognition.
Remembrance is about more than marking the past; it is about ensuring that the next generation see themselves reflected in our civic spaces, our museums and our collective memory. It is about inspiring pride and belonging.
We will remember them.
16:47
When I was little, I loved listening to my grandad, whom I called Pa, who would tell stories about his time serving in the second world war. I remember that he had a Polish neighbour who had also served and who would chat with Pa for hours over the garden fence. They would laugh together and, sometimes, they would fall quiet. Then, they would be off again, sharing another story. Back then, to me, they were just two old mannies having a blether and I didnae understand what they might have shared or what those silences meant—but I do now. Perhaps, in each other, they found someone who understood things that they could not easily explain to anyone else.
I have spoken before about visiting war graves in the north of France. I hope that members will indulge my returning to my memory of that trip. I pay tribute to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for its work. I travelled to France with my dad and my son to visit the graves of three relatives who had died in the first world war. Two of them—Frank and John Mellis—were Pa’s uncles. John was in the royal naval division and was killed at just 22; Frank, a Gordon Highlander, was killed at only 25. Both were from Keith, in Moray. There we were—three generations of our family, remembering young men from generations before us, whose graves were being visited by their family for the first time, far from their Scottish homes.
Before we had even stepped through the gate at the first cemetery, I was completely overwhelmed. We had planned the trip and I knew what was waiting beyond the gate, but somehow I was not prepared to walk in. There was a stillness about the place that I still really struggle to explain. Whenever I hear the phrase “the guns fell silent” I remember that silence, because there was something about it that seemed to hold the intensity of everything that had happened decades before.
I stepped through the gate and looked across what seemed like endless rows upon rows of headstones. Then I glanced at my son. He was around the same age as many of the young men who were buried there. As I thought about my own boy, the realisation hit me that all those graves were of somebody’s boys. What incredible loss. What incredible grief.
I wrote a little message of thanks on the back of a photograph to leave at one of the graves, but it hardly felt enough, and, when I left, I got to bring my boy home.
I am really grateful for that trip and for the little bit of understanding that it gave me of what Pa and his Polish friend had maybe carried with them. That is why I believe that remembrance asks more of us than remembering what happened. I worry deeply about the division and othering of people that we see today, the way that groups of people are blamed for the difficulties that others face and the way that the fear of those who are different is stirred up for political gain. History has shown us how dangerous that can become, and those of us who are in politics have a responsibility to recognise those dangers. We must certainly not encourage them.
I think about those two old mannies talking over the garden fence and the silences that they shared, and I think about that stillness in France and all those young men whose voices were lost. We have been given a gift of freedom and a voice, and we must not remain silent when we see hatred and division taking hold. Every year we promise, “We will remember them”, but remembrance should be more than a promise about the past. It should be a commitment to a peaceful future. Surely it is through the choices that we make, the hatred that we challenge and the peace that we work to protect that we truly honour their memory.
We will remember them.
16:51
I will begin with an Angus story. The Rev Douglas Emslie was born in China in 1899. He came to Scotland, enlisted and won the military medal with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the first world war. He became a minister and, in 1932, unsuccessfully stood for the National Party of Scotland in the Montrose Burghs by-election, having opened his campaign office in Arbroath railway station. When another war came, in 1939, he volunteered as a chaplain to the Gordon Highlanders, dying the next year in Normandy while tending to wounded comrades.
As we know, war touches every aspect of life, every community, every tradition and every family. My family is no different. My dad joined the Black Watch at the age of 16; my granddad served with the Scots Greys during his national service; and members of my family fought against Rommel in north Africa and on the western front in the first world war. One of the most emotional moments in my life was when, like Karen Adam, I visited Maroeuil, in France, where my relative Private Thomas Malley is buried. He was killed at the Somme in 1916, when he was just 19 years old. That is why I felt privileged to attend ceremonies on Sunday in Monifieth and Arbroath and to lay wreaths in memory of the fallen.
Today I am proud to represent RM Condor in Arbroath and, of course, Barry Buddon, which sits between Monifieth and Carnoustie.
I did not intend to speak this year—this is the first time in about 15 years that I have not made a speech in these debates, so I thank Lloyd Melville for taking this intervention.
Lloyd Melville will be aware of the incredibly beautiful memorial at Barry Buddon, which commemorates those who were lost in the Falklands. Four of them were in my troop, and I would just like to mention their names: Sergeant Bob Leeming, Corporal Pete Fitton, Corporal Andy Uren and Marine Keith Phillips. Marine Keith Phillips had the same first name as me and was the same age as I was when he died—about 19. He did not come back; I did.
I will just quickly mention that, on Sunday, I attended the service at the memorial in Dollar. Earlier this year, I managed to get the name of Private George Alister Walker Ewan, whose remains were found in northern France last year, added to the memorial.
Lastly, I will just mention, because we should, First Minister John Swinney’s uncle, Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter. He was also a marine, and he won the Victoria cross in the second world war. Like me, he was a former pupil of Tynecastle high school. This year, when I went to play golf at Carrick Knowe golf course in Edinburgh, as I have done for 40-odd years, I saw a memorial to him just about the starter’s dookit. Having been asked to speak to former pupils at Tynecastle, I have enlisted them to try to get the war memorial there refurbished. That would be a fitting testament to somebody who won the Victoria cross and, more importantly, came from Tynecastle high school.
I thank Keith Brown for his intervention and for so poignantly putting those names on the parliamentary record. I have, indeed, been to the Royal Marines memorial at Barry Buddon, and I found it very deeply affecting. I also take the opportunity to thank Keith Brown for his service to our country.
Recently, in my constituency, I met with Kate Sykes of the Naval Families Federation to hear about the challenges that local service families face, not least finding childcare that works around deployments and keeping children’s education continuous when the family is posted somewhere new. Too often, they feel they are having to fight for the support that they need here and now, because too many services are not designed with service families in mind. That must change, because service families should be able to live normal and fulfilling lives while their loved ones work hard every day to keep us safe.
More broadly, we must continue to work for peace and to protect the rules-based order we all rely on. As Russell Findlay said, we need only look at the extended killing in Ukraine to see that we cannot be complacent about that. Never again can we allow a generation to lose so much or to contemplate that scale of human suffering.
As Laura Mitchell did, I want to close with some poetry, with the lines of Violet Jacob, who lost her only son at the Somme. Her poem, “Jock, to the First Army” is a poignant reminder of the lasting sacrifice of those who give their lives in war.
“It’s deith comes skirlin’ through the skyBelow there’s nocht but pain,We canna see whaur deid men lieFor the drivin’ o’ the rain;Ye a’ hae passed frae fear an’ doot,Ye’re far frae airthly ill—‘We’re near, we’re here, my wee recruit,An’ we fecht for Scotland still.’”
16:57
Two weeks ago, the Parliament hosted a Scottish Veterans Residences stall and a reception for Poppyscotland, sponsored by you, Presiding Officer. Poppyscotland reminded us that the poppy has two purposes: to remember those lost in conflict and to support those still here.
This year’s appeal focuses on the armed forces family. At the stall, I spoke with Scottish Veterans Residences about how few world war two veterans are still with us, but, for an affa lot of folk, that is still the picture they have in their minds when they think of veterans. I have been thinking about that ever since, including at the remembrance parade in Aberdeen on Sunday. Our veterans had their medals proudly on show. I do not know medals that well, but I do not think I saw any like the ones my granda and other world war two veterans wore.
During remembrance, we often think first of those closest to us, and I started thinking about my dad. My dad was a Gordon Highlander, just like his dad afore him, and he was only weeks old when granda left for France with the Gordons and was captured at St Valery. Dad was five before he saw his father again. I often think about what granda went through, but my grunny must have had a time of it, too—raising the family and running the household, not knowing whether her husband would ever make it home.
In the late 1950s, dad did his national service with the Gordon Highlanders, serving in Germany and later in Kenya. They say, “Once a Gordon, a’wis a Gordon,” so, when his service ended, he stayed in Kenya with mam and my sister, working as a farmer for the regiment, before finally coming home to the north-east. Thirteen years later, when I was just 10, mam died of ovarian cancer. Dad was left to raise my sister, my brother and me on his own, which was unusual for a father back in the 1970s.
This year’s theme asks us to remember the whole armed forces family and the sacrifices that are made by those left behind. I wish that dad was here, so I could ask him more about it. He spent the first five years of his life not knowing his dad, he served his country and then he raised his three bairns by himself.
Everyone who is serving overseas has family making sacrifices, too: partners filling the roles of both parents; bairns going month and sometimes longer without seeing their mum or dad, or sometimes even both; and parents worrying, as parents do. We need to look after those folk, too. Nobody who is serving our country should ever doubt that their loved ones are being supported.
I remember watching remembrance services on television with dad, seeing row after row of veterans—most of them from the world wars, and many now gone. Dad was never involved in a conflict, and, at some level, that is what we want for all our servicemen and servicewomen: a world where we do not ask them, or their families, to make those sacrifices.
We must keep remembering those lost in the world wars and in every conflict since. However, when it comes to support—the kind of support that our poppy donations help to fund—we must also recognise a new generation of veterans. Today’s veterans, who are supported by Poppyscotland, Scottish Veterans Residences and many other forces charities, are often much younger than those who fought in the world wars, and the challenges that they face can be different. Perhaps that gives us a chance to change the picture in folks’ minds, to remember the veterans whom we support today and to include the wider armed forces family in that picture, too.
We move to winding-up speeches.
17:01
I thank all colleagues for their speeches, and I add to the parliamentary record the names of the members of this Parliament who are themselves veterans. I think that we all know about Keith Brown’s service as a Royal Marine, including his active service in the Falklands. Vic Currie served in the Royal Navy as, I believe, a helicopter pilot. Mark Griffin was a reservist with the Royal Regiment of Scotland and then the Royal Engineers. David Smith has already described his days with the Royal Navy, in the submarine service. Paul Sweeney was also a reservist with the Royal Signals and the Royal Regiment of Scotland. I am grateful, on behalf of the rest of us, for their service in the uniform of the armed forces of our country.
I was moved by what Zen Ghani said about civilians who become involved in supporting our country in time of war. That brings back personal memories of two of my grandparents, one of whom was in the home guard and one of whom was in the air raid precautions service as a fire spotter in Birmingham. I also remember my mother, who was dug from the remains of an Anderson air-raid shelter after a German air raid in 1940, when she was just a little girl.
Lloyd Melville evoked memories of visits to Ypres, Tincourt and the Menin Gate. The feelings and the emotions evoked by viewing the rows and rows of Commonwealth war graves are incredibly powerful, and it is incredible to see the effect that that has on our children and on young people in general.
As a country, we owe a debt of gratitude to those who have served, particularly in time of war, that we can never fully repay. Remembrance brings all of that home to us—the debt that we owe and the responsibility that we carry.
I also want to say something about those who are still among us—our veterans, who have been mentioned. Those men and women served our country and did everything that was asked of them, and, in some cases, they are still living with the consequences of their service. Some carry physical wounds; others carry wounds that are less visible but no less real. For many, their families have also lived with the consequence of that service.
I speak also as convener of our Parliament’s cross-party group on armed forces and veterans. I think that we have a particular responsibility to ensure that our gratitude is matched by what we actually do for our veterans, and I am grateful to the minister for agreeing, in our exchanges this afternoon, to hold a debate on the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s report.
What I say applies equally to those who are currently serving in our armed forces. We cannot separate remembrance, in my view, from our present-day responsibility to defend our country now. We have spent too long, as a country, taking our security for granted. We must be candid about that. Mistakes have been made, particularly over the past 25 years. The capabilities to defend ourselves as a country that we have lost cannot simply be recreated at the stroke of a pen. All the while, the threat to our country is becoming more serious, more complex and more immediate.
I will conclude by simply saying that, as parliamentarians, we should feel a responsibility to the men and women whom we ask to defend us today. That means making certain of the equipment, the training, the resources and the support that they need to do what we now ask of them. Their commitment to us is complete and total. Our commitment to them must be equally complete and total.
17:05
We are taking the time in the chamber today to pay tribute to all individuals across Scotland, the UK, the Commonwealth and our allied nations who were harmed or killed in war. We are grateful to those who served and sacrificed to build the relative peace and freedoms that we enjoy today. We recognise Scotland’s veterans and armed forces community and the significant contribution that they continue to make to our nation.
Some of my colleagues and I are wearing white poppies this week. They commemorate everyone killed or affected by war, including civilians, military personnel of all nationalities, refugees and the victims of colonial conflicts. The Parliament remembers all victims of war—those that happened in the past as well as those happening now.
The majority of modern war casualties are civilians. Here is an extract from a United Nations Security Council report from May of this year:
“Civilians continue to bear the burden of proliferating armed conflicts worldwide and growing disregard for international law.”
In 1999, the year that the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1265 as its first thematic resolution on protection of civilians, establishing the issue as a stand-alone issue on its agenda, the International Committee of the Red Cross reported 20 armed conflicts globally and estimated that between 35 and 64 per cent of conflict casualties were civilians. In 2024, the 25th anniversary of resolution 1265 and the most recent year for which there is complete data, the ICRC counted more than 120 armed conflicts, and the civilian casualty ratio was 95 per cent in incidents involving the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, which was the leading cause of the more than 36,000 civilian deaths that the UN secretary general’s annual protection of civilians report recorded that year. That was an increase from the 33,443 deaths recorded in 2023, which already represented a 72 per cent rise from 2022, mainly due to the war in Gaza.
That drastic deterioration in the protective environment holds across multiple protected categories and patterns of civilian harm. The year 2024 was the deadliest on record for journalists, humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in conflict. In June 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that civilian deaths in conflict are surging. The same report highlighted the alarming rise in deaths of women and children, saying:
“Violence against children and women in armed conflicts has been devastating over the past two years.”
Peace and democratic government provide some protections for women, children and other marginalised and vulnerable people; war brings out the worst. In war, people who are already marginalised have it worse again. The veneer of peace and good government disappears totally when violence reigns. War should never be glorified. It is not a noble endeavour. It is, occasionally, an awful necessity to defend democracy and human rights against tyranny, but it is always horrendous and we must never, ever forget that.
We do not forget those who served in our military and lost their lives in the first world war, the second world war and conflicts since. Remembrance is their funeral. It is not a pageant, and it must always remain true to the spirit of “Never again”. There can be no greater tribute to those who have died in war than to recommit ourselves to peace, democracy and the protection of all of our human rights.
17:10
On remembrance Sunday just past, all the cenotaphs and war memorials around the country were bedecked with poppies by veterans, cadets and local people alike, as they paid their respects to the war dead. Many—probably most, if not all—of the MSPs in the chamber joined them to add wreaths on behalf of the Parliament and our local communities the length and breadth of Scotland.
Every year, we gather and, every year, we rightly say the words, “We will remember them.” I take the opportunity to reflect on those words, and perhaps to say something slightly different today—the day after armistice day—not instead of remembrance but because of it. Those words were never meant to be just an annual ritual. They were a promise made by a grateful nation to the men and women who gave their lives and to those who came home carrying the horror of what they had seen. For me, remembrance is not just a question of what we feel on the second Sunday in November; it is also a question of whether we are keeping that promise on the other 364 days of the year.
In that spirit, let us reflect on where we might be falling short on that promise. The first aspect is how we treat those who have served. As we have heard from several members in the debate, we have veterans in this country who are sleeping rough, and we have veterans who are waiting months for mental healthcare. We have a covenant that says:
“Those who serve … should face no disadvantage”.
Too often, perhaps, that is a document and not a reality. A country that can find a place for its ceremonies can surely also find a home for its veterans.
The second aspect is how we treat those who did their duty in hard places. For example, men who were sent to Northern Ireland as young soldiers, operating under orders and under fire, find themselves, half a century later in their 70s, facing courtrooms. Nobody is above the law, but justice that arrives 50 years late and that is aimed at the soldier and not the system that sent him is not justice. It tells every young person who is thinking of joining up to serve that we might not stand beside them.
The third aspect is whether we are ready. We meet today while war has returned to Europe. Russia has shown what it is willing to do and to whom. Yet, over decades, we have allowed our armed forces to shrink to a size that would have astonished the generations that we honour today. Our servicemen and women are as good as any in the world, but there are simply not enough of them, and they are not equipped for modern warfare that is dominated by drones, cyber, long-range ballistics and stockpiles that run out in weeks. Those who fell in both world wars paid the price for a country that was not ready. Remembering them honestly means refusing to repeat that mistake; it means looking after those who once served and standing alongside those whom we might ask to serve.
My final reflection concerns the simplicity of the words of the dedication that was carved into Sir Edward Lutyens’s London cenotaph in 1920: “The glorious dead”. Lutyens deliberately avoided religious and national imagery in his design. His point was to emphasise that those three simple words could have meaning for people of all races and of all faiths or none. In that spirit, it is imperative that future generations maintain remembrance Sunday as a symbol of unity and national pride.
17:14
I, too, commend members from across the chamber for their contributions in the debate. It is right that we should always remember the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces—those who have served across generations and who made the ultimate sacrifice, and those who returned home carrying wounds, which are not always visible or obvious.
We also recognise the families who stood with them through separation, uncertainty and loss, whose contribution also deserves our gratitude. His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde at Faslane is in my constituency, and I am proud of the work done there to protect us all.
Although remembrance offers a solemn moment for reflection, it must also be a commitment to honour those who serve through the support that we provide today and the choices we make for the future. The men and women who serve and who risk their lives for our country are at the heart of our security. They deserve the very best equipment, support and training, and they deserve to know that we will continue standing by them when their service ends.
The security challenges that we face are increasingly concerning. Defence experts tell us that they expect a Russian attack against a NATO country by 2030. We have already seen Russian aggression in Ukraine. That—along with the uncertainty of the Trump presidency, his rejection of the rules-based order, and emerging conflicts across the globe—reminds us that peace and freedom cannot be taken for granted. In remembering the past, we must be prepared for the future, because we have a responsibility to protect our people and to stand alongside our allies.
The UK defence investment plan mirrors those aims. Its inclusion of an additional £15 billion as part of almost £300 billion of investment over four years works to strengthen military readiness, equipment and technology and to support skilled jobs. It helps to ensure that our armed forces can best meet the threats of today and of tomorrow.
Our commitment to NATO must be unshakeable. It is the cornerstone of our collective security and an attack on one ally is an attack on us all, so we must invest in the capabilities needed to protect our shared security. Scotland is proud of our armed forces, whether the submariners at His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde or the Royal Air Force pilots at Lossiemouth, who all make a vital contribution to the security of the UK and of our NATO allies.
However, remembering those who serve also means recognising what happens when someone leaves the armed forces. Veterans bring leadership, expertise, resilience and teamwork to our workplaces and communities and are an asset to our country. The transition back to civilian life can be difficult, and our responsibility does not end when someone hands back their uniform.
That takes me to the report from the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, Susie Hamilton. I thank her for all her support for veterans. She tells us that progress in a number of areas is just too slow. It is too slow on the veterans homelessness prevention pathway and on the mental health and wellbeing pathway, and she also highlights the inadequate uptake of the general practitioner armed forces and veterans recognition scheme. In answer to a parliamentary question last month, the Scottish Government confirmed to me that only 71 GP practices, which is only 8.1 per cent of GP practices in Scotland, have registered for that scheme. We can and must do better.
Those who have sacrificed the most for our country deserve the best possible services, so Parliament and Government must turn commitments into delivery; must strengthen co-ordination between health, housing and employment services; and must work in partnership with the organisations that are already making a huge difference. Community groups and charities such as SSAFA provide invaluable support and the work that they do should be celebrated and treated as essential in delivering for veterans and their families.
Remembrance must be not only about looking back but about the responsibilities that we carry forward. We owe our veterans the opportunity to thrive after their service and the support to live healthy, secure and fulfilling lives. Today, let us honour their courage, remember their sacrifices and renew our determination to stand by all who have served.
I call Kirsten Oswald to wind up the debate.
17:19
There are occasions in this chamber when the subject before us asks us to look beyond our differences and to speak instead about the things that we hold in common. As Jackie Baillie has said well, today has been one of those occasions. Members have reflected thoughtfully on the meaning of remembrance, and I hope to acknowledge some of those contributions in my speech.
I acknowledge what Keith Brown said. As somebody who grew up hearing the guns at Barry Buddon service personnel training area, I was really moved to hear him speak and mention his colleagues who are remembered on the memorial there.
Russell Findlay, Lloyd Melville and others reflected on their localities, and I will take a moment to reflect on remembrance Sunday in my constituency of Eastwood. I would like to thank the organisers of all the local remembrance events and, on a personal note, Legion Scotland’s Newton Mearns branch for all they do. Every year that I have been elected, I have had the privilege of marching with the local Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen to the cenotaph in Newton Mearns. It means a great deal to me to do so, and I thank this year’s flag bearer, Philip Mendelson, as well as Brigade Commander Monty Cowen.
For me, as for Karen Adam, Lloyd Melville, Jackie Dunbar and countless other members and people all over the country, remembrance Sunday is a time when I reflect on my family—people such as my granddad, Edwin Oswald, who served in the Royal Navy during world war two—as well as on all those people who were lost. As time passes and fewer veterans of world war two remain, it is important that we remember the individuals—indeed, the individual lives that were lost and not only the extraordinary and terrible numbers. Russell Findlay set that out very well when he read Rifleman Valentine Joe Strudwick’s name on to the record.
The Scottish Government and indeed the Parliament hold our armed forces community in the highest regard. I think that Morvern-May MacCallum’s speech exemplified that. Yesterday marked the 107th anniversary of the first armistice day. In 1919, remembrance was overwhelmingly shaped by the devastating losses of the first world war and the grief of families mourning those who would never return home, as Iris Duane powerfully set out. More than a century later, remembrance continues to evolve, and I was struck by what David Smith said, including his reflections on submarines and submariners. Although we remain steadfast in our commitment to honour those who fell in that conflict, our understanding has broadened, as Stephen Kerr said, to recognise the many individuals and communities that were shaped, changed or cut short by war. I was struck by Laura Mitchell’s mention of Cabrach and, of course, by what Paul Sweeney said—I am sure that we all come together to say how sorry we are for the loss of his friend.
Those things reflect Scotland’s history. Ours is a nation with a deep and enduring tie to the armed forces community. Those bonds were forged through generations of service, often rooted in local regiments and communities, as we have powerfully heard, but also through the lives of service personnel and families who came to Scotland from elsewhere and made their homes here. As we remember, it is right that we recognise not only those people from Scotland and across the UK, but also the countless men and women from across the Commonwealth and beyond who served.
I did not get the option to speak today, but I put on record that there was an officer barracks in the Wyndford estate, in my constituency, from 1872 to 1960. I draw the minister’s attention to the new granite memorial stone that was recently erected to commemorate the four Victoria cross holders from there and all the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice. In particular, I ask the minister to join me in thanking the local community council, which dedicated itself to securing that memorial stone so that the memory of those people would live on forever.
I am really grateful to Bob Doris for making that point and ensuring that we are all aware of the community council’s sterling work to put that memorial in place so that people could remember.
It is worth reflecting on another Victoria cross, which was awarded, as Zen Ghani said, to Khudadad Khan, another exceptional service member. As Mr Ghani set out, the contribution of the more than two and a half million volunteers who served in the Indian army during the second world war, including some whose final resting place is here, is a powerful example for us to consider. Their service and that of millions of others from across the Commonwealth form an integral part of the story that we remember.
I have spoken about Jewish veterans, and I think that we should ensure that the full diversity of the armed forces community is reflected in remembrance. The experiences of women veterans—and, as Laura Mitchell described, the women who made extraordinary efforts at home—LGBTQI veterans, those from minority ethnic backgrounds and others whose stories are less often recognised deserve to be acknowledged in the same way as those that are more familiar. The same is true of organisations such as the merchant navy, whose courage and resilience in sustaining vital supply lines during conflict remain an essential, if sometimes overlooked, part of our collective history.
I welcomed the comments from many members across the chamber, including those from Morven-May MacCallum on the excellent and valuable work that is done by voluntary and third sector organisations. I know that that is close to the hearts of many who are here today.
More than a century after the first armistice day, remembrance clearly continues to hold an important place in our national life. Today is a valuable opportunity for us to honour all those who gave their lives and to reflect on the cost of conflict and the value of peace, as Lorna Slater outlined, as well as the debt that we owe to all those who have served and sacrificed. People from every background and from every nation of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and beyond helped to defend the freedoms and democratic values that we cherish today. We remember them all with gratitude. As Karen Adam said, all those who were lost were somebody’s boys. We honour them all with respect—we will never forget them.
That concludes the debate on remembering the service of the armed forces community.