I am pleased to speak in the debate. At the outset of my contribution, I pay tribute to all our military personnel who have committed to making the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom, to our veterans commissioner, and to all the organisations that support our armed forces and the veteran community. I pay particular tribute to the charity Support Our Paras.

I will focus on two areas: education and employment. Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of meeting Associate Research Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith of the centre for military research, education and public engagement at Edinburgh Napier University to discuss the findings of her report entitled “You’re In Your Own Time Now: Understanding Current Experiences of Transition to Civilian Life in Scotland”. Among the issues that are explored in the report is access to education. It notes that, despite the advantages that result from academic qualifications, veterans do not often pursue such a pathway. I am therefore pleased that an articulation mechanism has been developed with the University of Strathclyde to allow those with a higher national diploma qualification to enter initial teacher education. I am also pleased that the Scottish Government continues to develop the Service Children’s Progression Alliance to support service children to access higher and further education.

Separately, though, I am aware that access to education for spouses and partners is challenging where service personnel have enlisted in England but are now based in Scotland. In those circumstances, a partner who wishes to study in Scotland is not entitled to have their fees paid. Although I understand the circumstances of the restriction, bearing in mind that families play a vital role in facilitating successful transitions, I am interested in any update that the minister might be able to provide on options for considering the issue further.

I turn to the role of veterans in the energy sector. Energy companies increasingly recognise the benefits of recruiting men and women from the armed forces, and they can offer them a range of employment opportunities. Qualities such as team leadership, organisational skills and technological knowledge are all highly prized by the sector. Career opportunities exist in the fields of engineering, project management, health and safety, and the skilled trades. To meet its future commitments, the sector is already working to match industry job profiles with military roles, and to identify transferable positions and, importantly, training and conversion opportunities. I am pleased that—

I thank my friend and colleague Jackie Dunbar for her intervention. The Gordon Highlanders Museum is in my constituency and I know the value of the work that it does, not just in supporting vocational and practical work but in offering a space for veterans and others to come together. It is a highly valued resource in the north-east of Scotland.

I am pleased that Offshore Energies UK has signed up to the armed forces covenant and received the employer recognition scheme bronze award; Port of Aberdeen has signed up to the armed forces covenant, too. Those are only two of the many examples of how the sector values veterans and service leavers.

I am pleased to note the veterans commissioner’s progress update on the alignment of military and civilian skills and qualifications, which I know is not necessarily always a straightforward process; I am also pleased to note the military skills and qualifications discovery tool. I look forward to reading the commissioner’s annual report, which has just been published. Having had a quick look at it today, I note the update on how Skills Development Scotland’s work with the Career Transition Partnership to refer new employers to it is continuing to develop, and I note the close relationship between Skills Development Scotland and veterans organisations.

I was pleased to note that the new recruitveterans.scot website has been launched, which contains extremely helpful information for businesses about the benefits that veterans can bring to the workforce. I urge all members to highlight that website in their constituencies and regions.

The Scottish Government’s veterans strategy action plan and the Scottish veterans fund continue to underpin much of the work that is being progressed in Scotland. I know that the minister is utterly committed to this work, particularly because, as he has flagged, we are still all grappling with the cost of living crisis and the lag of Covid.

Young serving personnel with whom I engaged in preparation for today told me:

“The army is very accommodating to welfare issues, however it varies from unit to unit, some regiments have well-oiled welfare support in place through charities like Combat Stress and Support our Paras – they are so vital for welfare help. But to be honest, just simply chatting to each other and having each other there for support is the most important”.

I know that we will lend our weight to that support.

The £60 million national acquisition plan that was announced this summer looks set to accelerate the Scottish Government’s work to get people and families out of temporary accommodation and into a space that they can call their own. Will the minister provide an update on the roll-out of the fund and the work that is being done with experts and local government to ensure that it is effective?

Will the First Minister outline what more can be done to take action against private owners who leave buildings derelict and at risk of antisocial behaviour, including fire raising, which has a significant impact on our councils and public services?

I congratulate John Swinney on securing the debate. The motion recognises the role of his constituents in establishing the first Climate Café in Scotland, the role that Climate Cafés play in facilitating conversations and action on climate, and how their reach has grown. Having spent much of my childhood living in Perthshire with my grandparents in Stanley, I am delighted that the Dunkeld and Birnam Climate Café is leading the way.

As the motion describes it, Climate Café’s create a

“welcoming, inclusive, safe space within a community that is open to everyone to chat and act on climate”.

I do not need to tell anyone that the north-east is home to a shifting energy industry. Therefore, the narrative on climate can often be framed within an industrial context, through discussions about opportunities in green jobs, green industrial development or new infrastructure supporting the energy transition. I do not need to tell anyone about the impact of those changes and how, often, they are most keenly felt in communities and businesses, and in employment, as well as through changes to the nature and structure of neighbourhoods.

A just transition seeks to ensure that all voices are included in the process of change. Just last week, the Minister for Energy and the Environment updated the Parliament on the forthcoming energy strategy and just transition plan. She stated:

“The views of local communities are of the utmost importance. It is vital that everyone has the opportunity to engage in decisions about future development.”—[Official Report, 28 September 2023; c 59.]

Climate Cafés are an important and accessible vehicle to make that happen. I acknowledge the commitment of the North East Scotland Climate Action Network and Aberdeen Climate Action in bringing people in the north-east together to talk about climate and supporting local action groups and projects. Earlier this week, with help from Jess Pepper, who has been mentioned already, I had the pleasure of joining the Aberdeen Climate Café, where members heard from the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater, as well as from Skills Development Scotland and Borders College. Participants asked a wide range of questions, covering everything from hydrogen to skills passports, women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and what a circular economy is.

I cannot talk about community participation in the context of climate without acknowledging Professor Tavis Potts, the dean for environmental sustainability at the University of Aberdeen, for his work on the social dimensions of climate and energy, as well as his commitment to deepening social participation in the transition in the north-east through climate assemblies and participatory engagement.

The reach of Climate Cafés goes much further than just local communities. In that regard, I thank one of John Swinney’s constituents—a member of Blairgowrie Climate Café—who kindly sent me beautiful photos of St Fittick’s park, which is a green space in the heart of my constituency that is under threat from industrial development linked to the energy sector. That lovely gesture reflected the wider investment that Climate Café members have in our world, beyond their communities and neighbourhoods.

Given the choices that we face about how we live and the legacy that we want to leave our children and grandchildren, Climate Cafés will continue to play their part in important community conversations, engagement and action, and I look forward to seeing them develop and expand across Scotland. I thank John Swinney again for bringing forward the debate.

Thank you for that. I open it up to members.

I want to bring in Ann Marie Cocozza, who has not yet had an opportunity to comment, by asking a broad question. What are your views on the proposals for a commissioner?

John Swinney and Rona Mackay have follow-up questions. Please be succinct.

I am watching the time. We must move on to look at parts 2 and 3 of the bill. I invite members to ask questions on part 2, which is on embedding trauma-informed practice.

I bring in Rona Mackay.