Issues relating to veterans continue, in the main, to be reserved issues to the Westminster Government with responsibility for veterans falling to the Ministry of Defence.
However, it is only right that when men and women leave the Armed Forces and return to "civvy street" that the civilian authorities and service providers take on the responsibility for meeting the needs and aspirations of Scotland's veteran's community.
The Scottish Government has certain devolved responsibility over a whole range of services that can be accessed at one time or another by a veteran, such as housing, health care, social care, education and skills and employability.
The Social Inclusion Division has responsibility for the co-ordination of veteran's issues across the Scottish Government and for the signposting of queries and correspondence on veteran's issues to appropriate policy leads across the Government's Directorates-General. Social Inclusion Division also has a responsibility to veterans in so far as they can become vulnerable to the negative impacts of poverty, inequality and deprivation and as such present as a distinct group facing multiple and complex needs, who can face stigma and discrimination or who can experience real difficulties in reintegrating into civilian life. The vast majority of veterans do, of course, re-integrate back into civic society and may never experience any problems associated with their time in the Armed Forces. However, there will always be a minority who need additional support and assistance from service providers in the public, private and voluntary service - including the invaluable contribution made by the various veterans' charitable organizations across Scotland.
The Scottish Government also believes that it is particularly important that the courage, valour and sacrifice of Scotland's veteran' community is properly and appropriately recognized and commemorated. That is why we are active in encouraging and assisting local authorities and veterans groups in organizing events to commemorate National Veterans Day in June each year and in working with our partners at Veterans Scotland and the Ministry of Defence to ensure that our veterans are valued as an integral and important part of our communities and of Scotland's civic society.
It is important to note however that the Scottish Government, in line with previous administrations and current Ministry of Defence policy, does not provide funding for the erection, maintenance or repair of memorials which are more commonly funded through public donation and private subscription.