Veterans Issues
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Veterans forum
Minutes of the Veterans Forum Meeting held in the Victory Services Club on 05 March 2003
Annex A. Progress
made by Working Groups.
Annex B. Comments by Chairman
COBSEO.
Annex C. DCMS Speaking Notes.
Annex D. Update from Scottish
Executive.
Annex E. Update from National
Assembly for Wales.
Annex F. Update from Northern
Ireland Executive.
Annex D To
D/SPP(P&V)/7/5
Dated 18 March 2003
MEETING OF THE VETERANS FORUM, 5 MARCH 2003 - SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
I would like to update the Forum on one or two policy developments in Scotland likely to impact on veterans. Firstly though, just to confirm that we have had a Ministerial change which means that Des McNulty MSP, the new Deputy Minister for Social Justice, now has responsibility for veterans' affairs in the Scottish Executive.
Homelessness
The Scottish Executive has done a considerable amount of work in the area of housing and homelessness. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, delivered an improved package of minimum rights for homeless people along with increased responsibilities on local authorities to provide temporary accommodation and assistance to everyone assessed as homeless.
Coming right up to date, the Homelessness (Scotland) Bill is currently making its way through the Scottish Parliament and should be enacted shortly. This will require Scottish local authorities to take full account of the needs of those leaving the HM armed forces as well as their spouses or partners. As a result of this new legislation, guidance to local authorities will stress that people due to leave the services should be classified as threatened with homelessness where their licence to occupy service accommodation is due to expire and they have no other accommodation. In addition, local authorities and other organisations which may come into contact with people who are homeless, or those at risk, will be required to have procedures in place to identify ex-service people and signpost assistance available to them.
The Scottish Executive aims to have discussions with MoD officials on this issue in the near future.
Concessionary Fares
One other development I wanted to mention. On 30 September 2002 Scottish Executive introduced free off-peak local bus travel to all pensioners and all disabled people in Scotland. (Under the terms of this scheme, the definition of 'disabled' is the same as that set out in the (UK) legislation, Disability Discrimination Act, 1995.) This represents a national minimum standard for Scotland. In some local authority areas, even broader concessions apply.
This initiative was introduced to help pensioners and disabled people meet their travel needs and support them in living more active, independent lives. As free concessionary bus travel now applies to all pensioners and all disabled people, it would seem, therefore, that the aim of providing concessionary fares for war disablement pensioners and war widow/er pensioners, is already being met in Scotland.
