Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament am ar 5 Mehefin 2024.
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how the census outputs on armed forces veterans, due to be released on 13 June, will be able to be used to inform a better understanding of the veterans community. (S6O-03517)
Inclusion of a question on veteran status in the census for the first time marked a significant step forward in developing the evidence base on veterans in Scotland and their characteristics. Officials will analyse the outputs, which we will use to consider how we continue to support veterans and their families. The analysis will inform the discussions that the Minister for Veterans will have with other portfolio ministers. A further update on our work to use emerging evidence to understand more about the circumstances and needs of veterans will be provided in the minister’s annual update to the Parliament.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that response and for the inclusion of the question in the census.
The most recent data show that the number of veterans of the UK armed forces resident in Scotland is 220,000. That data is from the annual population survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics in 2017, although we know that there is a reticence on the part of veterans to identify as such, which means that, in some cases, they cannot access the support services that they need. How will the cabinet secretary utilise the census data and share it with charities to aid them in targeting support for veterans?
Maurice Golden asks an important question and gives me the opportunity to commend him for his work as the convener of the cross-party group on the armed forces and veterans community. In this week, when we mark the 80th anniversary of the D-day allied landings in France, the importance of our veterans and armed forces community is recognised across the Scottish Parliament and by the Scottish Government.
I give Maurice Golden the commitment that all relevant census information, once published, will be shared with Veterans Scotland and, through it, with all of its much-valued member charities, associations, trusts, organisations and veterans champions, which will help them in targeting support.
Carol Mochan joins us remotely.