 the chamber couldn't I remind members that social distancing measures are in place in the chamber and across the Holy Grant campus I've asked that members take care to observe these measures including when entering and exiting the chamber please only use the aisles and what ways to access your seat and when moving around the chamber The request item of business is a member's debate on motions 70 in the name of Bob Doris on mnd Scotland 40th Anniversary will be concluded without any questions being put. I would ask those members who wish to speak in the debate to please press the request to speak button now. I call on Bob Dorris to open the debate up to seven minutes please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I thank members who have signed my parliamentary motion to secure this debate, so I'll be discussing the 14th anniversary of MND Scotland, then at the time called Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association, founded in 1981. It is a privilege to lead this debate. MND Scotland was founded by a 33-year-old police officer, John McLeod and his wife Peggy, after John had been diagnosed with motor neuron disease. He soon learned that health professionals had little knowledge of MND, and rapidly progressing terminal neurological disease and support services were limited. In the same year MND Scotland was founded, the first service was set up and research into the disease was also funded. A hugely successful beginning for John McLeod is a remarkable and humble man. There are many successes since, and I am sure that MND Scotland wants me to stress that there is still much more to do, not least of all, finding a cure for MND. Over the years, MND Scotland has been blessed with inspiring and campaigners who have faced the most adverse of circumstances following their diagnosis. One such campaign at this Parliament knows particularly well, as long as Labour colleagues are Gordon Aikman. Gordon was diagnosed with MND in May 2014, and he launched Gordon's fight back. Gordon campaigned with great dignity and worked to secure the significant funded expansion of MND nurses from the Scottish Government. Gordon sadly lost his battle with MND in 2017, but his legacy continues in many ways, including the Gordon Aikman scholarship and annual research fund of £50,000 metd by MND Scotland and the Scottish Government. In 2014, MND Scotland launched a campaign to highlight the postcode lottery of personal care charging in Scotland for those living with MND and other terminal conditions. They won the support of the Scottish Government, COSLA subsequently updated guidance, and local authorities complied eventually after the Scottish Government committed to changing the law if local authorities did not follow COSLA guidance. Another successful MND Scotland campaign was the Let Me Speak campaign, highlighting that people with MND have to buy their own communication equipment or rely on charity services. After hugely effective campaigning, an amendment was made to a health bill in this place, allowing the right to free communication aids from the NHS to become law in 2016. The success of MND Scotland as effective and constructive campaigners continues to this day. MND Scotland, along with Mary Curie, helped to shape Scotland's social security system the way that we all want it to be. Together, the successful campaign to ensure that Social Security Scotland Act 2018 included the right for terminate ill people to be fast-tracked for benefits based on clinical judgment, instead of an estimated life expectancy of just six months. Another remarkable campaigner is rugby legend Doddie Weir, who was diagnosed with MND in 2017. He bravely shared his story with the world and set up the My Name's Doddie Foundation and worked with MND Scotland and others to improve the lives of people with MND for the better and funding of research into a cure. In 2020, MND Scotland joined the My Name's Doddie Foundation and the MND Association to launch the United to End MND campaign. It calls on the UK Government to invest £50 million over five years in targeted MND research and the virtual centre of excellence. That campaign is on-going and I'm sure we'll all wish to support it. In 2021, Doddie's Foundation has donated an incredible £380,000 to MND Scotland's grants programme to help families with financial costs associated with the illness, such as equipment and home adaptations, clothes and utility bills, and to fund a holiday. I mentioned at the start of my contribution that there is still much to do, Presiding Officer. Indeed, MND Scotland recently launched its about time campaign and a manifesto for the Scottish Parliament elections. It challenges all of us in this place about the sufficiency of social care, of adaptations and of accessible housing. As MND Scotland put it, the harsh truth about MND is that those with the illness don't have the time to wait. People living with MND need support to ensure that the precious time that they have left is spent making memories with loved ones instead of battling for services that they urgently need. I am pleased that the Scottish Government will be developing a new national care service, something that MND Scotland has called for. Those living with thermal conditions must be involved in helping to develop and shape such a service. I am also pleased that the Scottish Government will be seeking to deliver an accessible housing standard, which will future-proofing new-build properties for those whose housing needs change often dramatically over a short period of time. That should be linked to an accessible housing strategy, not just for new-build homes, but for the homes of those living with MND staying right now. That is why MND Scotland has rightly called for a national accessible housing strategy. That must surely involve serious consideration to the sufficiency of adaptation budgets of councils and housing associations, and a serious look at the speed at which assessments such as OT assessments are made and adaptations are secured. It must also look at the allocations policies and practices of social landlords, who really struggle at times to make adequate positions for those living with thermal conditions such as MND. It is not easy, but they must do better. I would very much welcome a meeting with the minister to explore some of those matters further. However, this evening celebrates an incredible 40 years of achievement by MND Scotland, achievement secured by the efforts and the campaigning of remarkable individuals and their families often after an MND diagnosis. Many of them, of course, sadly no longer with us. My thanks to everyone associated with MND Scotland past and present for the last 40 years. I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead constructively across Parliament, across party with MND Scotland and all the stakeholders to do the right thing for all those living with thermal conditions, including those living with MND. I look forward to hearing the contributions of others in the chamber this evening. I congratulate my colleague Bob Doris for bringing this important issue to the chamber and commend all those who work so hard at MND Scotland on their 40th anniversary. Modern neuron diseases are a rapidly progressing terminal illness and each case is unique. My aunt Eileen, my dad's older sister, died after suffering for two long years with MND. She lost the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink and even breathe unaided. It was a tragic, deeply upsetting end to a life well lived. Others with MND may experience changes in their behaviour, personality and the way they think, affecting their ability to plan tasks or communicate with others. Around 400 people live with MND Scotland. Their average life expectancy is just 18 months from diagnosis. For many, the work done by MND Scotland is invaluable. MND Scotland funds vital research with ultimate aim of improving the lives of those affected by the condition and eradicating the disease. Researchers work in partnership with organisations around the world to explore new drugs and facilitate clinical trials. Such trials bring us closer to a cure and data collection through initiatives such as the Scottish MND register to help to paint a clearer picture of who is suffering. The register was set up in 1989 to collect and store information about people with MND throughout Scotland and has been online since 2016. It holds information on more than 90 per cent of people in Scotland with the condition and helps to accurate information, including the gender, age and location of others to be logged. That helps researchers to better understand what causes MND and some people and not others and can be used to audit care standards across different health boards and local authorities. Although behavioural research might not bring us closer to a cure in the same way that clinical research does, studying the human side of MND, for example, of phenomenon of apathain sufferers, is also hugely beneficial in identifying ways of making it easier to live with MND. MND Scotland has made incalculable contributions over its 40-year history in terms of research, campaigning for legislative change and providing practical information and advice for thousands of sufferers. Despite the excellent work, MND remains extremely difficult to diagnose, as in its early stages a few cases follow exactly the same pattern. Which muscles are affected? The progression of the illness through different groups of muscles and even the way in which they are affected varies so much between individuals that there is almost no way of predicting how any one case will develop. There is currently no test to positively confirm whether someone has MND, rather, test is used to rule out other possible conditions, eventually leaving MND as a lightly diagnosis. This process can belong and understandably frustrating and upsetting for patients. The progressive nature of MND also makes diagnosis a lengthy time-consuming process, as neurologists must witness something to develop over time. For all the research over the past 40 years, MND remains a cruel and devastating disease, not only for those who suffer from it, but also for their families. The care and practical support provided by MND Scotland will therefore be, for most sufferers, the most important aspect of their work. On a case-by-case basis, they offer advice and information about living with MND and provide support to help to improve the quality of life of those affected. That constitutes a huge range of services including counselling, physical therapy and advocacy. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, they have given practical advice and information for shielding, staying safe and caring for someone with MND. Above all, they offer friendship and support for people who understand what patients and their families are going through and from people who also know exactly what they're going through. MND Scotland's ultimate aim is a world without MND. It is impossible to know how far we are from that goal, but in the meantime, the research, information and support provided by MND Scotland is vital for sufferers and their loved ones. I once again congratulate Bob Doris MSP on his motion and thank him for providing an opportunity to celebrate the work of such an important organisation. With only 35 minutes to kick-off, I would like to wish Scotland all the very best in their match against Croatia this evening. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. With 35 minutes to kick-off, I will only take four minutes. I would like to thank Bob Doris for bringing forward this important debate tonight. In a call with MND Scotland yesterday, I learnt more about how the organisation raises awareness and supports research into this terrible disease. Motor neuron disease involves a rapid and debilitating slide into paralysis. There is no effective treatment or cure, as Kenneth Gibson just said. Average life expectancy from diagnosis to death is sadly just 18 months. It is a disease that strikes at the middle-aged, but it does not discriminate between the young or the old. As Bob Doris said, that is why it is vital that, from the point of diagnosis to the formation of a care plan to the adaptation of a sufferer's home, the response is smooth and swift. As we consider the creation of a national care service, we must ensure that the system can rapidly respond to the needs of patients. Today, I would like to briefly talk about the remarkable work of three Scottish men, all who were diagnosed with MND. The motion refers to Gordon Aigman. Gordon sadly died from MND in February 27, aged just 31. After his diagnosis, he devoted his time to fundraising to find a cure for MND. His fight-back campaign raised over £550,000 for research. Gordon secured a doubling of MND nurses, which was a game changer for those with the condition. We should also remember that finding treatment or a cure for MND will take a herculane effort. Campaigners are pressing the UK Government for up to £50 million to fund much-needed research. Many of us will recall the images of Doddie Weir charging down the rugby pitch at Murrayfield. Unlike all MND sufferers, Doddie and his family continue to come to terms with the devastating turn of events since he was diagnosed with the condition in 2017. Since its inception, my name's Doddie's Foundation, has raised over £5 million. It supports medical research and it has given more than half a million pounds in grants to help MND sufferers. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Rachel Hamilton MSP for her work with Doddie Weir in pursuing automatic access to the blue badge scheme for people living with MND. I implore the cabinet secretary, Michael Matheson, to ensure that the relevant work to bring that to a satisfactory conclusion is not delayed so that we can deliver dignity and independence to those who are living with MND. Finally, I would like to talk about Ewan MacDonald, who was diagnosed with MND in 2003 at the age of just 29. In 2007, Ewan founded the Ewan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research in partnership with the University of Edinburgh. Along with his sister Kiki, he created Ewan's Guide, a disabled access review website that used to review, share and discover accessible places to visit. While work continues to improve treatments and find a cure, it is important that people with MND, their family and their friends receive the best possible care and support. I thank MND Scotland for everything that they do in that regard. The Scottish Conservatives support changes to social security benefits for people who are diagnosed with terminal illness. A living wage for carers will also help people who care for some of the most vulnerable in our society. I recently visited Lucky House, the national respite care centre for those living with long-term conditions, and I commend them on the work that they do. As we consider the creation of a national care service from the outset, I want to make it clear that the one-size-fits-all approach to social care is unlikely to succeed, and any service that falls prey to a slow-moving bureaucracy or removes localism from the core of care would likely fail MND sufferers. We all want to find a cure for this disease. We all want to get to a point where no doctor has to tell a man or a woman that they have this terminal condition—a disease that may cause them to lose the ability to walk, to talk, to eat, to drink or to breathe and aid it. As is highlighted in the motion, we are committed to cross-party collaboration with members here at Holyrood and with MND Scotland and organisations across the UK and globally to help to find a cure for this terrible disease. That should be our goal—a fitting goal—to mark the 40th anniversary of MND Scotland. I commend MND Scotland for their work over four decades and commit to supporting their future efforts. I begin by thanking Bob Doris for bringing this debate to the chamber. I congratulate and thank MND Scotland on this 40th anniversary. 40 years of outstanding work improving lives of people living with MND, supporting families and campaigning for change. In the chamber this evening, we have already begun to hear about the impact that motor neurone disease has had, not just on people who are diagnosed but also for friends and families of those and the loved ones who live their lives with it. It has robbed so many people of their future, and this Parliament must do all it can to support the people who it affects. We remember and pay tribute to incredible individuals who have done so much to advance the care of those with MND, and I, too, would like to give specific mention to two people this evening. First, Gordon Aikman. Like so many in this chamber, I had the great honour to know Gordon through the Scottish Labour Party. I fondly remember his warmth, his generosity and the many great conversations and laughs that we had, particularly in the 2014 referendum campaign during which Gordon received his diagnosis. Gordon was inspiring. The courageous way in which he faced his illness was one of the bravest things that I have ever seen. He became a ferocious campaigner in change working with MND Scotland. He made people stop and think, and he made the Scottish Government invest and change policy. His legacy is every single person whose life has been made better because of more MND nurses, voice equipment or drugs trials. I pay tribute tonight to Gordon's husband, Joe, and his friends, especially Lawrence Cowan, for continuing that work, something that we will endeavour to do in any way in this Parliament. On those benches, we are also proud of Gordon. He was the very best of us, and we miss him every single day. Another inspiration, as we have heard, is found in Ewan MacDonald and his father, Ewan MacDonald. Ewan MacDonald's drive to create the Ewan MacDonald Centre at the University of Edinburgh, which focuses on the finding of a treatment for those who live with MND, is inspiring. Beyond that, his drive to make a positive difference now in the lives of disabled people has been shown through the creation of Ewan's Guide, which is a website that makes it easier for disabled people to find great places to go without having to worry about the accessibility issues in those places. From the work of people like Gordon and Ewan, we have seen a growing public understanding of MND and how it affects people's lives, but also how we can tackle it head-on. Through that renewed drive to defeat MND, we have seen progress being made in science. Colleagues will be aware of the recent news of the scientific breakthrough from researchers at the Ewan MacDonald Research Institute that could help to lead the way to the discovery of a cure. If that research bears fruit, we must all collectively step behind the science and ensure that it is supported in every way possible. We must look to providing further support for those who currently live with MND in the here and now. Colleagues across the chamber will be aware of the on-going campaign leading from work like Ewan MacDonald's to ensure that more changing places are available for those who suffer from illnesses such as MND. There are too few changing places toilets available in Scotland, and a lack of appropriate facilities is a barrier for disabled people and their families or those living with lifelong conditions, which is accessing simple things such as a day out or a holiday. I hope that colleagues will join me in creating a changing place in the CPG in which we can begin to look at some of those issues and the issues that are directly impacting on the lives of people with MND, for example, every single day. I want to praise the work of campaigners who live with MND, who have undertaken work on that already, and people such as Angela Dulley who have worked really hard on it. I hope that the members will join me in that work and please do get in touch if you can. In concluding, I want to pay tribute to the 40 years of work done by MND Scotland. I want to honour the memory of those who we have lost and commit to doing all that we can to fight for those who are living with MND so that we can achieve the cure that we also desperately want to see. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate, and I congratulate Bob Doris on bringing it forward and for his excellent contribution. I also want to acknowledge and thank Christina McKelvie MSP for the huge amount of work that she has put into raising awareness of MND and for leading this debate in Parliament over a number of years previously. Tonight, I want to focus my contribution on the fantastic work of MND Scotland both nationally and across my South Scotland region and on the ground breaking medical advances that have been made over the past 12 months, as well as some points of interest in my South Scotland region. Presiding Officer, as Bob Doris has described, this June marks 40 years since Police Officer John McLeod and his wife Peggy first launched MND Scotland from their living room after John was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. Since then, many people, activists, healthcare professionals, researchers and those diagnosed with MND have helped to create a movement to fight back against MND through research and clinical trials. They have also helped to power MND Scotland's life-changing support services through fund-raising, donation and political action. Across Scotland, including in my South Scotland region, MND Scotland provides support services for those living with the MND, including through face-to-face support services, emergency financial grants, advocacy services and, during the current Covid-19 pandemic, video support and one-to-one phone calls. The work of the charity has been a lifeline for many and I want to thank John and Peggy and all at MND Scotland for their outstanding work. I want to highlight that Dumfries and Galloway in my South Scotland region has a particularly high prevalence of MND more than other areas of Scotland. Across Dumfries and Galloway, there are on average 15 people per 100,000 diagnosed with MND against a UK average of five to seven people per 100,000. Figures show that the issue is particularly acute in Strunrar, where the statistics translate to 57 people per 100,000 diagnosed with MND. At this time, I am thinking about my former MP colleague Richard Arcliffe and his wife Anne, and her family at this time, because both Richard and Anne lost close members of their family to MND. No one knows exactly why MND is so prevalent in D&G region, but MND has such a profound and devastating impact on the lives of so many. It is clear that there is a need for further research across the south-west of Scotland. I welcome that, over the past 12 months, there has been significant advances in MND research. Currently, almost everyone in Scotland living with MND is participating in the MND Scotland's new clinical trial, MND Smart. While typical clinical trials focus on a single drug, MND Smart will allow more than one treatment to be tested at a time, given that patients have a higher chance of receiving an active treatment rather than a placebo. The project that is being led by researchers at the Un MacDonald Centre at the University of Edinburgh has been developed to find effective medicines more quickly. The clinical trial will include as many people diagnosed with MND as possible, regardless of how the disease or current treatments affect them. The first trial is looking at amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, and involves interlucent 2, which is used for some types of cancer. The study will focus on immune cells in the blood, which can influence the speed at which ALS progresses. I welcome this research and agree that it will absolutely work to improve the life chances of people living with MND in Scotland. I wish MND Scotland a happy 40 years, and I wish it every success as it moves forward. I again highlight the high levels of MND across the Freeson Galloway region, and I ask the minister to bear that in mind as policies move forward. I, too, would like to thank Bob Doris for bringing this to the chamber today. Yesterday was Global MND Awareness Day, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak in this debate. I would also like to pay tribute to both MND Scotland and the late Gordon Aikman for their incredible efforts to secure better care for people with MND, and I would be remiss to not mention the Dodiwere Foundation as an avid Scotland drug buffet. The Gordon's Fight Back campaign raised over £500,000 for MND Scotland to invest in vital research and, as the motion states, aim to double the number of MND specialist nurses, as well as guarantee MND patients a voice and outlaw care charges. Given the conversations that are taking place around the establishment of a national care service, it is right that we pay tribute to Gordon's work. One of the defining characteristics of motor neuron disease is how rapidly it progresses. As we have heard tonight, the average life expectancy is just 18 months from diagnosis. That is why it is so important that people with MND can access the care support that they need when they need it. They cannot be placed on a waiting list because they simply do not have the time to wait, but too many people do wait. People with MND are being forced to cope with their rapidly deteriorating health without the care that they need while statutory services struggle to meet demand. The motion refers to the fast-tracking of terminally ill people for social security benefits. That would ensure that people with MND would not have to wait months to receive the benefits that they were entitled to. As the motion notes, however, we are still a far to go before people with MND can access all the support that they need equally and fairly. MND Scotland is calling for people with MND to be fast-tracked for housing and social care services so that they are not left without support for weeks and even months while their condition deteriorates. Long waiting times can have a devastating impact on people with MND but also for their loved ones. While people with MND are waiting to be allocated a care package, unpaid carers are often required to step in and care for them, with little to no support. That can impact the physical and mental health of carers who may struggle to cope with providing care that should be delivered by social care services. Too often, unpaid carers are used to fill gaps of care and, according to Carers Scotland, that has been exacerbated by the pandemic, with many carers having to significantly increase the hours of care that they provide and nearly 400,000 people taking on a caring role for the first time. We need to recognise the value of unpaid carers and ensure that they have access to the training, equipment and respite breaks that they need. We would also like to see health checks and access to flexible appointments for unpaid carers introduced. The Scottish Greens want to see a national care service that is person-centred and based on human rights, one that recognises the specific needs of individuals, including those with rapidly progressing conditions such as MND. MND Scotland is calling for a national care service that prioritises carers and recognises that people with MND require fast-tracked access to care and anticipatory care planning due to the rapidly degenerative nature of the disease. People with MND often face further delays when trying to increase their care packages or gain access to 24-hour care as their condition deteriorates. Conversations around what level of care individuals will need in future must take place early on so that they do not face further waits for essential care when they begin to experience paralysis. Early planning with regard to housing adaptations must also take place. People with MND can wait months for adaptions such as wet rooms and stair lifts or are forced to pay for it themselves. In 2021, it is unacceptable that people with terminal illness are paying thousands of pounds for the adaptions that they need to help them to live with their condition. Adaptions can help people to stay out of hospital, maintain their independence for longer and help carers to look after them safely. Ensuring that people with MND are fast-tracked for such adaptions and that the process is simplified will be an important step in reducing delays and improving care. The motion states that we must help to find a cure for MND and that must be the ultimate goal. In the meantime, we must urgently improve MND care so that no-one with this devastating illness is left waiting for the help that they need. Thank you, Deputy Chief Presiding Officer. I am very pleased to be able to respond on behalf of the Government this afternoon as we mark MND Scotland's 40th anniversary. I thank Bob Doris for moving that important motion. I join members in recognising the tremendous work that MND Scotland does in providing people with invaluable support and driving efforts to find a cure for this devastating condition. As we continue to reform the delivery of health and social care with priorities such as the national care service, MND Scotland will remain key partners for us. Working in partnership will help us to ensure that we focus completely on what matters most to people with MND, people who look to us for care, support and treatment. We wholeheartedly share the charity's vision of a world without MND, and that is why we are currently investing £286,000 into clinical research projects at the University of Edinburgh. Those are focused on developing a drug pipeline for MND and studying the progression of the condition. We recognise that innovation remains crucial to finding a cure for MND, and we have committed £423,000 to the Motor Neurone Disease and Multiple Sclerosis PhD programme. The fund covers both conditions and is supporting six PhDs with an additional seven PhDs that are match-funded by the participating universities. Our work over the past few years has seen us deliver on pledges made to the Gordon's fight back campaign, who Gordon Aitman mentioned by many people in the chamber this evening. That has included doubling the number of MND specialist nurses, ensuring faster access to social security benefits for those with terminal conditions and extending free personal care to people under the age of 65. We continue to further support Gordon's legacy through the annual Gordon Aitman scholarship fund, and we do him to make progress on all of the pledges that he has asked us to commit to. One of the cruelest impacts of MND is that it robs people of their ability to speak. I am proud that, since 2018, NHS boards in Scotland have had a legal duty to provide communication equipment to those people who cannot speak or have difficulty speaking. That applies to adults and children of all age care groups, and there is no comparable law anywhere else in the UK. A number of people raised the issue of MND specialist nurses and just the incredible value that they provide to sufferers. There are 15 nurses across Scotland at an approximate ratio of 1 to 38 patients, which is excellent. Some health boards do share a nurse, though, and funding is being sought to increase nursing hours to full-time and in-fife in 4th valley, Dumfries and Galloway. Due to the nature of the rapid progression of the disease, which many people have mentioned, MND nurses are absolutely best placed to deliver bespoke care and to anticipate care needs. There really is an absolutely vital service for individual sufferers. There is an MND nurse consultant who is co-funded by the Scottish Government, who oversees equity of assessment and care of MND, as well as ensuring access to MND research in Scotland. On the issue of affordable housing supply, the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to delivering housing that is fit for purpose, both now and in the future. Many of us will need to grow old and frail in the places that we live or will want to in the future. In 2019, 95 per cent of the homes in the affordable housing supply met the basic requirements as outlined in the Housing for Varying Needs design guide. On the adaptations front, since integration is the responsibility of health and social care partnerships, which are responsible for the planning and delivery of adaptation, but as set out in housing to 2040, we are intending to streamline and accelerate the adaptation system to take action to reduce the time that it takes to apply for and receive support and maximise the available resources. It was on that issue that Bob Doris asked for a meeting, and I am more than happy to meet with him. We have a good track record of making progress with the condition, but we also have a good track record of using QI methodology in our health service in Scotland to tackle issues like that and to make sure that the delivery is as speedy, efficient and effective as we would hope it to be. A number of people mentioned a number of heroic sufferers of MND. Gordon Aikman was mentioned by almost everyone in the chamber, John McLeod, who started the charity Ewan Macdonald and, of course, Doddie Weir. I, too, am a massive Scottish rugby fan. I am not sure that I should say that, as Sports Minister, in the evening of such an important football fixture. Of course, Doddie has done incredible work to raise awareness of the condition and to share his experience. In fact, the previous cabinet secretary met with Doddie Weir in 2019 to discuss its experiences with MND and to explore the quality of care in MND. I feel that it is important at this stage in time to pay tribute to all those people who have used what little time was left to them in order to improve the care of those who have followed on afterwards. It is really quite a humbling for all of us as politicians who think that we make a massive difference, the incredible difference that those individuals have made in the 40 years of the existence of MND Scotland and they have certainly left Scotland in a better place to meet the needs of future sufferers. I would like to close the debate by thanking those who have shared stories, experiences and contributions today. I assure the chamber that we will continue to work with partners across health and social care, social security and housing to continue to achieve real and transformational change for people with neurological conditions such as MND. The on-going progress around MND further speaks to the value of cross-party working and I wholeheartedly endorse Bob Doris's statement that members should work together to continue the progress into the future. I would like to close by congratulating MND Scotland on its 40th anniversary. I commend the dedication and the commitment of its staff and its supporters in making a difference every single day to improve the quality of life for people living with MND and their families and carers and I hope that one day they are no longer needed. Thank you very much.