Commenting ahead of a reception this evening in support of SVGCA’s House for Heroes campaign, the First Minister said Scotland stands as a ‘sanctuary’ for Scots aboard and the SVGCA are helping Scotland to live up that reputation. 

The veterans’ Association currently rents 594 high-quality, low-cost homes to ex-servicemen and women across Scotland.  It hopes to build a further 60 wheelchair-friendly houses over the next six years.

Salmond said:

"While Scotland lacks responsibility for its own foreign policy, it can still define itself on a global stage by the way it treats those returning from frontline duties. Our service men and women do an outstanding job and it is only right that that they should return home confident of comfort and refuge.

"The work of the Scottish Veterans' Garden City Association is a credit to our continuing effort to make Scotland a sanctuary to come back to. We recognise our responsibilities to those who defend us, and the hard work of the Association brings us closer to being the modern, compassionate and just society we can be proud of.

"The Scottish Government is determined to do all it can to care and provide for the men and women who protect us. That is why, in November, we extended NHS priority treatment to include those who have served in the Armed Forces. We have established a £500,000 pilot to spearhead improved mental healthcare for veterans. And earlier this month, in the interests of all our people, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a £25 million incentive package for Council build as part of our drive towards the construction of 35,000 new houses each year in Scotland.

"We will continue to work with veterans’ charities to promote our shared objective of creating a Scotland that is fairer, safer and remembers the courage, valour and sacrifice of Scottish service men and women."