Scottish Veterans Commissioner disappointed by limited activity as she publishes 2026 Progress Report

The Scottish Veterans Commissioner (SVC) has challenged the new Scottish Government to make faster progress towards making Scotland a better place to live for those who have served their country.

The SVC today publishes her annual assessment of the Scottish Government’s progress in improving support and services for Scotland’s veterans and their families. The report evaluates progress against a number of recommendations made by the SVC office, which the Scottish Government has committed to implementing.

However, Scottish Veterans Commissioner Susie Hamilton has expressed her disappointment at the limited progression in key activities designed to make meaningful improvements to the lives of our veteran community.

With a new parliamentary term now under way and a new government programme of work announced earlier this month, the SVC says it is essential that the commitment  to helping support those who have served our country and their families is maintained.

Following on from an encouraging report last year, this year’s evaluation highlights a slowdown in the progress being made towards implementing recommendations.

It represents the first review of progress towards recommendations laid out in the Veterans and the Law (2024) and Veterans and Finance (2025) reports and, as these are both policy themes chosen by the Scottish Government in its own strategy for veterans, the SVC says she is disappointed to note the low level of general activity in these areas.

And, while some significant milestones will be reached this year in the implementation of the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Pathway, the Commissioner remains concerned by the length of time it has taken to reach this stage.

The Commissioner said: “While there has been some headway made, it is a muted picture overall and that is disappointing.”

Areas the progress report explores includes work around housing and preventing homelessness. 

The Commissioner said: “I welcome that the new Local Housing Strategy guidance issued in March 2026 contains an expectation that local authorities will give consideration to the needs of the armed forces and veteran community, including spouses, partners, children and the bereaved, when developing their statutory local housing strategies.

“However, there has been minimal progress on implementing the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Pathway. The establishment of a working group would bring rigour and focus to this work – which is long overdue.”

The report also calls for further action to be taken on veteran employment.

The Commissioner added: “I noted my concern last year that there lacked strategic leadership and direction on veteran employment.

“This is an area where there has been limited progress and I hope that the findings in my recent report on ‘Veterans and Employment’ will support further action – as I believe harnessing the experience, skills and qualifications of the ex-Service community, including partners and spouses, presents a real opportunity.”

The low number of GP practices registering with a scheme designed to recognise the specific needs of veterans is also highlighted by the progress report, with the Commissioner commenting: “I continue to hear from the veteran community that their Service and specific needs are not well understood when they require primary healthcare. 

“The GP Recognition Scheme was launched in 2023 to address this. However, sign up remains inadequate at around five per cent of GP practices registering with the scheme. 

“More attention and resource has been directed towards the roll-out – this needs to lead to a considerable increase in registration over the coming year.”

The report acknowledges that much of the progress that has been made over the last 12 months has been due to partnership between the statutory and voluntary sector, including the organisations funded by the Scottish Veterans Fund, whose work directly supports some recommendations.

The Commissioner encourages government and statutory services to continue to harness and deepen co-operation with the effective delivery partners in Scotland’s robust and collaborative ex-Service charity sector.

The progress report also welcomes some of the recently introduced gambling levy being allocated to support Serving personnel and veterans, with an increased risk of gambling harm having been identified within that community.

The Commissioner hopes the new government will now use the coming year to provide a renewed focus on areas identified for improvement, adding: “This progress report comes at an early stage of this government but what it shows is that more progress at a faster pace is going to be required to make Scotland the destination of choice for Service leavers, veterans and their families.

“The forthcoming extension of Armed Forces Covenant legislation to new policy areas also reinforces the need for continued effort towards providing fair treatment for those who have served our country so well, and to the families whose support is the backbone of that Service.

“I will continue to monitor progress closely and work with the Scottish Government and its partners to ensure commitments are delivered in a way that drives real, lasting change.”

The full 2026 progress report is available here: 

https://www.scottishveteranscommissioner.org/progress/

Scottish Prison Service: Play Learn Connect sessions

Over 500 children visit a loved one at HMP Edinburgh every month. For many, it can be an overwhelming experience. That’s why our staff work tirelessly to make every visit as positive and supportive as possible.

Putting children first is at the heart of everything they do. Through their Play Learn Connect (PLC) sessions, often referred to as bonding visits, children can spend meaningful time with their dads in a more relaxed and natural environment. Unlike traditional prison visits, these sessions allow families to move around freely, play together and take part in shared activities.

As one visitor, who brings her newborn grandson to visit his dad, explains: “The bonding visits are just a chance for dads to let their guard down and be more authentic with their kids, in a way that they can’t really do if there are other prisoners around.”

She spoke about the impact imprisonment has had on her family: “Although he’s been in and out of jail for a while, this is the time that it feels like it’s truly punishment because he can’t be there.”

However, she also praised staff for the support they’ve provided to help maintain their connection: “When the baby was a couple of weeks old, they did handprints and footprints. They also got a photo taken together at the bonding visit. Obviously there’s no phones, so there’s no opportunity to get a photo of your baby otherwise.”

Staff also organise a range of family-focused experiences and events throughout the year, including sports days, movie nights, and Christmas and Easter celebrations. If a child has a birthday approaching, staff will even arrange for a cake to be shared during a PLC session, giving families the opportunity to celebrate together.

Nicola Leatherbarrow, a First Line Manager at HMP Edinburgh, is always looking for new ways to create meaningful shared experiences for children and their dads. Future plans include an outdoor area where children can learn to ride a bike with their dads, as well as homework packs that families can complete together. “I’m trying to do things that we take for granted,” she says.

Recently, 1919 Magazine spent time at HMP Edinburgh to better understand the experiences of visiting families. The team visited the Visitors Centre, run by our partners Barnardo’s Scotland, and spoke with staff and families about the importance of maintaining family connections.

Read the full article here: https://1919magazine.co.uk/…/child-friendly-prison…/

Tram route debate rumbles on

The Council’s Transport and Environment Committee may have voted to prioritise the Sothern section this week, but the debate about the Northern tram route – should it ever happen – continues:

LIB-DEM Inverleith Councillor Hol Osler said on social media: ‘On Thursday at the Transport and Environment Committee there was a report to consider the next steps on the Granton to Bio Quarter leg of the tram.

‘The Liberal Democrat’s put an amendment in to remove the Roseburn Path from being used for the Northern Leg and consideration given to other proposals.

‘Unfortunately Labour/SNP/Greens voted to keep the Roseburn Path in.

‘Presently there is no funding and priority is being given to progress the southern part of the route.

‘I am very disappointed that Labour/SNP/Greens, having been given another chance to remove the Roseburn Path and consider other options, have again voted to keep it in. This is despite the SNP having committed that they would not support Roseburn as an option.’

Edinburgh Zoo lantern trail returns

Back for another magical year! 🪐

Our spectacular outdoor lantern trail is back – this time with an out-of-this-world space safari twist! 🚀

From glowing galaxies to towering cosmic creatures, get ready to explore a luminous interstellar adventure like never before.

🔗 Book your ticket now – https://shorturl.at/4hUM8

Burnham: NO to referendum

PRIME MINISTER CLARIFIES HIS REFERENDUM STATEMENT

PRIME Minister Andy Burnham has responded to John Swinney’s request for a meeting to discuss comments he made at Westminster this week.

In a letter to Scotland’s First Minister, Burnham explained: ‘I was simply highlighting that there is no consensus for an independence referendum in Scotland’ and goes on ‘As I made clear to you personally when we met recently in Glasgow, independence and a referendum are off limits as it would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living.’

The Scottish Government has not formally responded but Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay said on X: “We have already endured far too many years of obstruction, hurdles and political games from UK governments.

“It has gone on for far too long.

“The Scottish Parliament should have the power to trigger that referendum!”

Waterfront assault: Man arrested and charged

A 33-year-old man has been arrested and charged following an assault in North Edinburgh.

The incident happened around 7.30pm on Monday, 17 August, in the Waterfront Avenue area.

The man was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (Friday, 11 September, 2026).

BLAST: An evening with a Boxing Legend at North Edinburgh Arts

12th NOVEMBER 6 – 8.20pm

We are delighted to announce that BLAST will be hosting British boxing legend Frank Bruno MBE on November 12th at North Edinburgh Arts.

With November being men’s mental health awareness month we wanted to make a powerful statement in addressing it and what better way.

Frank Bruno MBE is a former WBC world heavyweight champion who has faced many challenges in boxing and with mental health and we are delighted he is going to share some of these stories with us on the night.

The evening will consist with doors opening at 6 with some welcoming refreshments (non alcoholic), a photo with Frank and then listening to Franks journey. With the evening coming to an end around 8.15.

Tickets are on sale now for all BLAST members or affiliations.

On general sale from September 18th.

Please note, tickets are limited to only 100. This is a very small and intimate event.

Please contact the FB page with any enquiries or to secure your space.

A special thanks to our sponsors:

Castle Flooring

Johnston Smillie Ltd

Spartans-led consortium to buy Shrewsbury Town FC

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT

A consortium led by Spartans main shareholder Scott Davidson have been given EFL/IFR approval to purchase Shrewsbury Town FC. 

The deal has yet to be finalised and is yet to receive SFA approval.  The proposed new Board of Shrewsbury Town FC will be chaired by Scott and will also include fellow Spartans directors Will Dotson and Craig Graham, subject to IFR clearance which is expected this week, as well as Brad Friedel the US International and ex Premier League goal-keeper. 

There will be an informal relationship between Spartans FC and Shrewsbury Town FC which will allow both of us to benefit from sharing knowledge and experience. 

We also both have excellent Community Foundations, this deal will provide valuable opportunities for collaboration and mutual learning.

Further information will be shared as the acquisition process proceeds.

Edinburgh drivers hit with £1.1 MILLION in bus lane fines in just 6 months

UK drivers hit with £37.7 million in bus lane fines in the first six months of 2026, new analysis reveals

  • MoneySuperMarket requested Freedom of Information (FOI) data to reveal the cities issuing the most fines for bus lane and bus gate infringements
  • More than 1.17 million fines for driving in bus lanes and gates were issued in the first six months of 2026 – the equivalent of one fine every 13 seconds
  • In the first half of 2026, an average of £200,000 was collected each day from British motorists for bus-related driving penalties

British drivers have been issued more than 1.17 million bus lane and gate Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) during the first half of 2026, generating more than £37.7 million in fines, according to new analysis by car insurance expert MoneySuperMarket. 

Though most drivers will be aware of bus lanes, the road lanes reserved for buses, and often taxis, cyclists and motorbikes, bus gates may be more unfamiliar. These ‘gates’ block a short stretch of road to all traffic except buses, rather than restricting one lane. Both bus lanes and gates are enforced by CCTV or automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras and can result in PCN fines being issued for rule breaches.

The analysis, based on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made by MoneySuperMarket to 77 councils and transport authorities across England, Scotland and Wales, reveals the scale and cost of bus lane enforcement across Great Britain.  The data shows the equivalent of one fine issued roughly every 13 seconds – more than £200,000 collected from motorists per day.

The research also reveals which authorities issued the most PCNs across the first six months of the year, with Transport for London (TfL) taking the top spot with 90,511 fines issued. Outside of London, Manchester follows in second place with 77,878 fines issued, while Sheffield ranks third with 59,011 PCNs issued. 

Number of PCNs Issued for Bus Lane and Gate Infringements, By City/Authority

Rank City/Authority Total PCNs issued for bus lane/gate infringement (Jan – June 2026) 
1 Transport for London (TfL) 90,511 
2 Manchester 77,878 
3 Sheffield 59,011 
4 Bristol 56,882 
5 Leeds 53,009 
6 Birmingham 51,687 
7 Southampton 42,216 
8 Reading 36,583 
9 Liverpool 35,526 
10 Coventry 35,265 

Manchester generated the most revenue from fines paid for bus lane and gate infringements, with the council receiving over £2.7 million in revenue in the first six months of 2026. Despite issuing more PCNs, TfL generated just under £2.4 million in revenue for the same time, with Birmingham (£2.17m) placing third.

Total Revenue from Bus Lane and Gate PCN Fines, By City/Authority

Rank City/Authority Total revenue from bus lane/gate infringement fines (Jan – June 2026) 
1 Manchester £2,726,409 
2 Transport for London (TfL) £2,374,283 
3 Birmingham £2,165,600 
4 Sheffield £1,700,741 
5 Glasgow £1,699,474 
6 Leeds £1,412,740 
7 Southwark £1,409,105 
8 Bristol £1,265,641 
9 Edinburgh £1,186,458 
10 Liverpool £1,166,222 

Alicia Hempsted, Car Insurance Expert at MoneySuperMarket, says: “Bus lanes and gates are an important part of our road infrastructure, so it’s important to keep them clear of cars and allow them to flow freely, particularly during busy periods. However, for many drivers, a brief lapse of attention or navigating an unfamiliar street can have expensive consequences. 

“PCNs are civil penalties, rather than criminal notices, so unlike offences for speeding or drink-driving, they won’t have any impact on your car insurance. If you do receive a PCN for a bus lane or gate infringement, you should try to address it as soon as possible as fines are often reduced by 50% if they’re settled within 14 to 21 days, though this does vary between locations. 

“You should always review the details of the PCN carefully before paying it to confirm they are correct. You can dispute a PCN by contacting the issuing council or TfL, which you should do as soon as possible if you feel it’s incorrect.

“However, if you fail to pay a PCN within the given time period, these can be escalated to a County Court judgment or bailiff action, which could show up on credit checks in the future.”

Edinburgh landmarks shine a light of hope on World Suicide Prevention Day

On World Suicide Prevention Day, 10th September, venues across Edinburgh’s iconic skyline joined landmarks across Scotland in lighting up green to raise awareness of suicide prevention and Samaritans’ charity.

Buildings and landmarks across Scotland united in shining a light on suicide prevention and the support available for people in crisis on Thursday. In Edinburgh, Museum on the Mound, Camera Obscura and the Balmoral Hotel were some of those landmarks shining green, Samaritans’ well-known colour.

Joining the venues were Lerwick Town Hall in Shetland; Discovery Point in Dundee; Stirling Castle, Glasgow Science Centre; the Kelpies; Marischal College and King’s College in Aberdeen.

Samaritans is the charity that prevents suicide through human connection, and this World Suicide Prevention Day, the charity’s message to people in Scotland is that you don’t have to be an expert to save someone’s life. Small, everyday interruptions and actions could help someone who is suicidal by distracting them from their thoughts.

It could be a face-to-face conversation, a phone call, a text or any other way of connecting with someone. It could be as simple as asking someone you’re worried about if they are OK, perhaps making a positive comment on something you notice about them (for example, their shoes or coat), or even giving them something to touch or hold, which can help to distract somebody and help them feel grounded.

For Paul, 45, an unexpected interruption from a taxi driver simply asking if he was OK was all it took to change the course of his life:

“That taxi driver probably doesn’t know the impact he had that day or how much it helped me,” said Paul. “It seems a bit dramatic to say I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that conversation, but that is the reality. It shows that anyone can save a life, just by showing that they care.”

After struggling to balance a high-pressure job and family life, Paul reached crisis point and decided to take his own life. But a passing taxi driver stopped and got out to check on him.

“I had started to feel like I was the root cause of every problem and if I removed myself, then that would fix everything. I felt tired, burnt out and broken. I decided I was going to take my own life.”

“I was crossing the road when the taxi stopped me. I suspect the driver initially thought it was some idiot not paying attention, but he must’ve recognised that something wasn’t right. He got out to check if I was OK and said something like, ‘You need to talk to someone.’”

“So, I called Samaritans. I don’t remember much about that call, but they helped me get through the night. They listened and allowed me to offload. It helped me go to bed and try again the next day.”

A life-saving interruption for Paul, and a reminder that an interruption can make an enormous difference when it matters.

A new survey commissioned by Samaritans revealed that almost three quarters (74%) of respondents in Scotland felt that society is increasingly being designed to avoid interaction, with just over two in five (43%) saying they interact with people less than they did five years ago.

But despite the direction of travel towards less interaction with others, people still place huge value on human connection. 

More people in Scotland say they would prefer to turn to a stranger (50%) than AI (23%) if they needed help – showing that we can all have a role to play in looking out for one another.

It can be difficult to know what to say or do if you think someone may be experiencing a suicidal crisis. Samaritans has put together advice suggested by people with lived experience to help guide others through these moments:

  • Ask them if they’ve felt like this before and what, if anything, has helped them, and then do something they’ve suggested if possible.
  • If you feel able to, stay with them and sit quietly, letting them know you’re there if they want to talk.
  • Do not coerce or force anything on the person. Meet them as they are in that moment.
  • Let them know they are not alone.
  • Let them know that an emotion or thought does not last forever. An emotion or thought does not have to define them. It does not need to lead to a decision they can’t reverse.
  • Ask them what things they care about and what they like.

Samaritans’ Executive Director for Scotland, Neil Mathers, said: “As Scotland glows green on World Suicide Prevention Day, we’re reminded of the power of connection. Each light represents hope, a moment of support, a conversation, and the reminder that Samaritans is here to listen.

“Suicide is preventable. The more openly we talk about suicide, the easier we can make it for people experiencing suicidal thoughts to speak honestly about how they are feeling.

“We’re urging people across Scotland not to be afraid to ask someone if they are feeling suicidal. It can be a difficult conversation, but you don’t need to be an expert or have all the answers. What matters is being there, listening without judgement and showing that you care.”

Every 90 minutes, someone in the UK and Ireland dies by suicide. But suicide isn’t inevitable. This World Suicide Prevention Day, Samaritans is encouraging everyone to be prepared to interrupt if they’re worried someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. Find advice on how to start a conversation, listen and support someone at www.samaritans.org/interrupt.

Samaritans provides a vital lifeline for people and communities across Scotland. Our helpline is available for anyone struggling to cope with suicidal thoughts, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Anyone can contact Samaritans FREE, any time, from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. Or you can visit www.samaritans.org.