Scotland

Academics: Armed forces are no place for 16-year-olds

A letter to the Guardian (12/09/17) from more than 50 academics has called for the age of recruitment ot the UK armed forces to be raised to 18. It backs a conference motion from SNP Youth in support of this.

---

Armed forces visits to Scottish schools – a ‘big issue’

Our petition lodged at Holyrood along with Quakers in Scotland on military visits to schools has taken a significant step forward.

---

Petition FAQs

The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to ensure that:

• Guidance is provided on how visits to schools by the armed forces should be conducted so that information presented to children takes account of the unique nature of armed forces careers, ensures political balance, and offers a realistic representation of the role of the armed forces and what a career in the armed forces involves.
• Information is collected to enable public monitoring of the number and location of visits, the purpose and content of visits, and comparison with the number of visits by other employers.
• Parents/guardians are consulted as to whether they are happy for their child to take part in armed forces activities at school.

Why is the petition asking for this?

---

Scottish petition makes headway

Members of the Scottish Parliament have agreed to seek further evidence on our joint petition – with Quakers in Scotland – calling for greater scrutiny and guidance around military visits to schools.

---

Parliament considers military visits to schools petition

MSPs will consider what further action to take on a petition from ForcesWatch and Quakers in Scotland calling for increased transparency and scrutiny of armed forces visits to schools this Thursday (24 November).

---

More media coverage of our petition to the Scottish Parliament

Coverage highlights the Scottish Children's Commissioner concerns about the age of recruitment and armed forces visits to schools, and the motion in the Scottish Parliament about the vulnerabilities of young recruits, as discussed in the recent Medact report.

---

Scottish Parliament asks for more information on military visits to schools after hearing from ForcesWatch

Back in March we asked Holyrood to ensure ‘guidance is provided to schools', ‘information is collected to provide public monitoring’ and ‘parents/guardians are consulted’ when it comes to visits by the military. Last week we gave evidence to the Public Petitions Committee.

---

Media coverage of our petition to the Scottish Parliament

On Thursday 15 September, ForcesWatch and Quakers in Scotland went to the Scottish Parliament to give evidence to the Public Petitions Committee about armed forces visits to schools.

---

Petition on Military Visits to Scotland’s Schools being heard in Parliament

A petition calling for increased transparency and scrutiny of armed forces visits to schools in Scotland comes before Holyrood this Thursday 15 September.

---

Scottish voices on armed forces visits to schools

Before the closing date of our petition to the Scottish Parliament on military visits to state schools in Scotland, the ForcesWatch team went on the road to spread the word and raise awareness of the issue.

---