As we have heard, on 7 June 1917, under the fields of Flanders, the most powerful man-made explosion to that date was detonated, an event that triggered an equally powerful and destructive earthquake. The explosion was the beginning of the Flanders offensive that culminated five months later with the taking by Canadian troops of what little remained of the village of Passchendaele and the loss of more half a million soldiers' lives. We now live in an age of remotely-controlled, high-tech warfare devices, but the death and destruction that were inflicted by artillery, machine guns, rifles, bayonets and barbed wire 90 years ago was just as devastating.

By 6 November 1917, when troops eventually occupied the village, allied forces had advanced hardly five miles—there was a huge cost in human life for little apparent gain. Some 300,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers—more than a quarter of the troops deployed—lay dead, injured or missing. On the other side of the lines, almost as many German soldiers lay dead or seriously injured. It is no coincidence that the Tyne Cot cemetery at Passchendaele, which Alasdair Morgan described, is the single largest British war cemetery anywhere in Europe. Indeed, of all those who died, it is estimated that two thirds, or 200,000 men, have no known grave.

Those of us who heard the poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, which Murdo Fraser read out tonight, or who have read the poems of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon or Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front" will have learned an instinctive revulsion for trench warfare—the sending of young men over the top to be mown down by the enemy—with its almost certain death. Yet even now, some military historians claim that, despite the carnage on both sides, the Flanders offensive helped to turn the tide of the war. The claim is that it provided time for defenceless French troops to recuperate and reorganise, thereby preventing German forces from taking advantage of low-morale and near mutiny in the French ranks. Moreover, such was the loss of German equipment at the battle of Passchendaele that the German high command could not recover sufficiently to prevent Germany's ultimate defeat less than a year later.

I would like to think that whatever contribution Passchendaele made towards ultimate victory, its bigger significance lies in our determination to ensure that all wars that involve the mass destruction of participants and civilians should be avoided. The history of the past 90 years tells us that the

"war to end all wars" did not halt subsequent wars. Surely the horror of Passchendaele has not lost its impact. As members have said, it must influence Governments and individuals to choose peace over the dreadful consequences of war.

The Executive believes that what happened in Passchendaele deserves to be remembered and appropriately commemorated—all the more so because of the significant role of Scottish soldiers. As the motion correctly recognises, some 10 Scottish regiments participated in the offensive. Indeed, the organisers of the commemorative events that are to be held later this year in Belgium rightfully acknowledge the important and significant endeavour of the Scottish units, noting in particular the valour of the ninth, 15^th and 51^st divisions.

In raising a magnificent Celtic cross on the Frezenberg in Flanders, as part of an entire weekend of events, the organisers are commemorating the bravery of Scottish troops not only in Flanders or at the battle of Passchendaele, but throughout the entire first world war. As Tom Devine pointed out, Scottish soldiers suffered proportionately the heaviest battlefield casualties.

The organisers' efforts are to be highly commended. The Executive and, I am sure, the Parliament, supports them fully in that work. Indeed, as members have said, officials from the Executive's office in Brussels have been liaising closely with the organisers to assess how best and most appropriately the Executive can contribute to the commemorative events. As members will appreciate, veterans issues, including matters related to war memorials, are reserved to the Westminster Parliament. It has been a long-standing policy of successive Governments that the cost of erecting war memorials and associated projects are usually met not from public funds, but from private donations or public subscription.

However, in my view, it would be most inappropriate and disrespectful if the Executive were not to support the commemorations that are dedicated to the Scottish soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice some 90 or so years ago. Our soldiers fought alongside soldiers from other parts of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, France and the USA to defend our traditions, values and way of life.

Although we are unable to contribute directly towards the costs of the memorial itself, the Executive has demonstrated in the past that it is more than willing to contribute to the costs of commemorative events that recognise the courage, valour and sacrifice of Scots in conflict around the globe. In continuation of that commitment to commemorate and remember the valiant efforts of Scotland's armed forces, at home and abroad, past and present, I am happy to announce to Parliament this afternoon that the Executive will contribute the sum of £5,000 towards the overall costs of the commemorative events that are to be held in Zonnebeke as part of the Scottish weekend on 25 and 26 August. I hope that the Executive will also agree to be represented at the event that weekend, but I will not pre-empt the decision on that, which will of course be made following the election in May.

When we honour the fallen comrades of conflicts past, we should also acknowledge the contribution of Scottish servicemen and women who, even today, are putting their lives at risk in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. Our obligations to service personnel do not end when they hang up their uniforms, but continue when they have completed their time in the armed forces. Although the vast Majority of servicemen and women return to civilian life successfully, some experience problems reintegrating into civilian society, sometimes as a direct consequence of their experience in conflict situations.

It is therefore important that veterans who need holistic care and support services can access them, in the same way as any other vulnerable group in society. The Executive will continue to support the work of organisations such as Veterans Scotland in seeking new and innovative ways in which to meet the needs and aspirations of Scotland's veteran communities. It is essential that we offer ex-service personnel the right opportunities for productive and sustained employment; that we improve their access to opportunities and services in health, education or training; and, crucially, that we sustain the support and assistance that veterans need to make the transition into civic society as smooth as possible.

The importance of the entire series of commemorative events in Flanders this summer should not be underestimated. In the municipality of Zonnebeke, there are no fewer than 13 memorials that are dedicated to various units that fought at Passchendaele, although none of them is currently dedicated to a Scottish unit or regiment. Therefore, once the Scottish monument is inaugurated, it will be the first in the area to honour our fellow countrymen who fought and died in the fields of Flanders during 1917.

In remembering our own, we must remember the fallen from elsewhere in the UK and from other countries, including Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and the German soldiers who lost their lives in what was the single greatest slaughter of the first world war.

As members have said, we must renew our determination to avoid such carnage in the future. Scottish troops, in combination with service personnel from other parts of the UK and Europe, have worked together since 1945 to preserve the peace in Europe—a peace that has lasted. We must do our utmost to maintain that shared purpose and common commitment.

The Executive is happy to support fully Murdo Fraser's motion. I congratulate him on lodging it and on stimulating such a timely and thoughtful debate. I certainly hope that the events that take place later this year will be successful.

Meeting closed at 17:47.