Good morning cyber traders. Welcome back on this lovely Monday To see you all on the 20th of May. Good to see you Andrea. Good to see you Phil mark Good to see you Brian John everyone can good to see you And live from New York So it looks like what a great day so far we started first of all I just want to let everybody know it's gonna be a beautiful week this week here in New York Finally looks like the weather broke and it's going right into one of the biggest weekends of The year when we got coming up. We got Memorial Day coming up on the following Monday So guys, I'm just gonna tell you exactly what the game plan is going on Before we start doing some trading but before we do that just a quick little heads up Don't forget classes are starting this week we got the We have the open house a live event that's gonna happen on May 22nd And then also we have the classes phase one and phase two and phase three starting on May 21st They'll go on all the way till next week. So don't forget. That's one of the biggest weeks of The month when it comes when we do our live trading and we will be starting the new cycle of classes the following month We're also gonna be launching a new webinar technology for you guys So on these upcoming new events So hopefully you guys gonna enjoy it make things a lot more smoother a lot more easier, which is gonna be great Always looking to improve our technology now. What's going on this morning everyone? What's happening with Sprint? We're gonna talk a little bit about that And talking about what a great pre-market run that was we guys killed it so far on the Sprint But I do want to kind of remind everybody. Let's talk about some current events. That's going on. What's the big news? Well, we already know about the tariffs and everything else, but I think the bigger bigger news We got to focus on is what's going on when I ran What's happened? I ran, you know Wars do make certain stocks take off so I want to keep an eye on some of the some of the Military stocks it could be like Boeing could be Belvedere could be any of those could be a lot of a big stocks out there That are very big a rayon, you know any of those big-brain-name a military stock So keep an eye on them depending on what's happening in Iran that always causes some of these stocks remember unfortunately with these Catastrophes make opportunities for us as traders Unfortunately for some people, you know, we look at that way, but that makes these stocks take off So I'm gonna keep an eye on that but let's get right back to Sprint and guys Let me tell you looking at these orders out here this stock. Let me just change the Sprint The one-minute chart so anyway Sprint made its big move right around 830. It looks like that they're looking for that merger with T-Mobile and looks like the news is back out there and You got to go back. You got to be change this time frame over here. You got to go back So I called it out there was some major resistance levels right around below $8 You could see it right here and those guys were sitting out there. There was big big block orders out there So kind of went exactly where we expected to go right around 8 ish where I post it up there And looks like I got just a little bit above 7 780 ish. So let's keep an eye on this stock could still get out I got out of it. I know a lot of us traded it earlier and made some good money This was really easy for a good 50 cent move and remembered I always joke around I tell everybody guys just trade one share Just trade one share. What do you have to lose if you're not if you don't have any skin in the game You're never gonna learn but before we go start going through so to watch list and talking about the Sprint I wanted to talk about another stock that we traded that's also moving again this morning Is the OTLK now the OTLK had a nice little move For the last couple of days the stock took a huge hit All the way down to a dollar the stock had a big big run up. You could see here. Let me just bring up The minute chart here. You could see how it had a really nice pop Last week where it went from a buck 80 all the way to 270 and if I change the time frame here a little bit further You could see the stock was almost as low as a dollar Right here. So she's been really really strong now as of right now. She's in no man's land So you got to be careful on that right now She's like trying to do the shakes between the 260 and 280. She had this nasty shake here from 280 Oh about 210 I don't know what that was all about but somebody came in out of big order But that's gonna make the Faustal watch list again. So as much as we traded last week.  Was it hard to borrow shockingly? So I know a lot of you guys did really well that one was a pretty easy stock great short Midday then it bounced after that But pins had that nice little pop right there and then boom you could see it started just trending down right there a lot Of you guys did well from 2740 down to 2660, you know, I'm not a big fan trading a mill of a day But some of us are here, you know, you can make twice as much You know working all day, you can make half as much and just working an hour So depending on how you want to spend your time But but that pretty much does it what was going on for last week Which is which is the the pins was on the bounce at the open actually the PTN is the other one I do want to point out that one also that was pretty Interesting that shockingly that one was the only one that wasn't hard to borrow that when I meant by the PN The PTN but great great short and midday right there buck 70 or buck 20. All right, so what's going on this morning? so we got the sprint and Let me tell you she's holding here pretty damn strong. Okay really holding you pretty strong So, you know, I'll consider getting back in it again, but keep an eye on the orders She's holding here pretty strong. I got out I got out right around seven seven seventy six It went to about seven eighty. They get thirty thousand share orders out there You can see them out here, but keep an eye on it guys if you're not a minimum Minimum a level two trader here at Cybertron University. Do not trade this stock the stock will shake you bake you so the shakes already would have done and You got to be pretty advanced on that but that we're gonna put that on our watch list another couple of the ones that are Moving BIOC Oops BIOC that one's also moving a lot nicer. She oh she's starting to make a move now I was wondering where she was I was looking at her earlier and she wasn't moving but now looks like she's moving But BIOC this stock a lot of you remember the stock we trade in the beginning in a year This stock went from a buck all the way to a three dollars Up about 200 was that 200% 300% something like that 300% something like that. So anyway this stock We know it moves stocks got good volatility We know it's got these short squeezes when they come down like this, but this one's gonna make the falstow list FCA you fiat Stock is getting destroyed Okay, so the stock taking a very very big hit I think they were talking about something about tariffs of cars or something like that So keep a close eye on that one the stock was a fun stock to trade I know we did a good swing trade on this one But you know what I will I'm very interested in the stock the stock is getting pretty close to a major support level So it could probably be more an investment trade But we're gonna have to keep an eye and just just you know watch it So remember we just don't day trade here. We just don't over and we also don't just swing trade We also do investing and this might be a good opportunity the Just bring up Boeing right here. I know they they kind of dealt with some major issues That stock took about a hundred point drop never came back. So I just want to go back and check it out All right, so we got a couple of good stocks over here And like I said, we got to put the the the OT LK on our watch list you could see it's there on the biggest percentage gainers sprints already there Got a couple all the ones that up here, but I don't know when they start getting a little spotty like this Especially being ETFs.  Really? Okay. Let's see what happens We should know that right Andre and Italian company Italian guys right out there And we did pretty well with the Ferrari trade that was pretty fun All right, so anyway You got the watch list guys. Listen, it's Monday. Remember we'll go you got be very very careful trading on Mondays Other than you know what happened this morning in pre-market Very rarely do you find a stock like we trade like a sprint that did what it did I mean, this is very very rare We only catch stuff like this in midweek especially a brand name stock like that But let me tell you it was a lot of fun. That's why early bird always gets it gets the money So don't forget this week. We got the we got a lot of the classes that are going up We got open house and also very important you have Market closed on Monday, May 27th, and remember this is what we train for so Memorial Day Forever, and I know we have people logged in from all over the world It's big national holiday here in the United States. The market is closed So I expect it to be a dead Dead dead market on Friday. Maybe even going into Thursday. So just be very careful Let's make our money. Let's make our money now and go from there. All right guys So good luck happy trading and we'll see you back here at 2 30 to see what's going on in the afternoon. All right. Good luck everyone


Can I ask members of the public leaving the gallery to do so quietly, as the Parliament is still in session? The next item of business is a member's business debate on motion 5038, in the name of Gail Ross. On 12 May, International ME Day, the debate will be concluded without any questions being put. Can I ask those members who wish to speak in the debate to press the request-to-speak buttons now? I call on Gail Ross to open the debate. Ms Ross. Tomorrow, May 12, is International ME Awareness Day. Myalgic encephalomyelitis, or as it is known in the NHS, chronic fatigue syndrome, is a chronic neurological disorder that affects over 21,000 adults and children in Scotland. We have no idea how many people remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Symptoms can range from mild to moderate and, in some cases, can be extreme. Those can include exhaustion and fatigue, particularly after a period of what can sometimes be just mild exertion—chronic pain, sleep disturbance, flu-like symptoms such as headaches and sore throat, dizziness, nausea, problems with memory and concentration, known as brain fog. Members can also present with gastrointestinal difficulties in food intolerances, nerve pain and muscle weakness. It can affect people in different ways, and symptoms can fluctuate over time. Some people cope, some, like Emma Shorter from Edinburgh, forced to use a wheelchair and rarely able to leave the house. Two thirds of Scottish patients with ME have been ill for more than 10 years. Fewer than one in 10 are in full-time work, education or training. There is no cure, but some sufferers spend thousands of pounds on so-called snake oil treatments that promise various outcomes, but many are disappointed when their symptoms fail to improve. Although treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy can help with managing the psychological and emotional impact of symptoms, and many people find that beneficial, we cannot keep up the practice of treating ME as a psychological illness. It is not all in the mind. We also know that ME can often be misdiagnosed. That can be due to the fact that symptoms are similar to those present in a number of other medical conditions, and there are no definitive findings that confirm a diagnosis. That means that there often has to be a process of elimination of other conditions before a diagnosis of ME or CFS can be made. Depression is a common symptom of the illness. Many ME sufferers fall into a depressive state because of their symptoms. Earning for their former life and the things that they used to be able to do, many have lost jobs and friends, or simply despair at not being taken seriously. Instances of suicide in people with ME are six times higher than in the general population. Most people never know what causes their ME. It is thought that it can be triggered by infection or that it can develop over a number of years. It is also thought to be brought on by periods of extreme stress. One of my very good friends had hoped to be here in the gallery today, but unfortunately she could not, but she has given me permission to tell you about her struggle. Her name is Sally. In 2012, she went to a doctor complaining of neck pain and nerve pain. She was also physically exhausted. This woman has shorn sheep in New Zealand, so she knew her body was telling her something. The doctor told her that it might be breast cancer, it might be a herniated disc, so she was sent for an MRI scan. It came back clear. She continued to have nerve pain, fatigue and extreme exhaustion. She was also beginning to have problems with her sight. She went back to the GP who did blood tests to roll out anything straightforward. Nothing showed. The GP suggested that it might be something more serious like MS, so her parents paid for her to go private for another MRI and a lumber puncture. It was an MS. She was given amatryptoline, which nearly knocked her out. She was given gabapentin and a mild dose of phloxatine for her sleep. Her symptoms continued for two years until she went to see a doctor that specialised in tropical medicine. The doctor diagnosed Q fever, a bacterial infection picked up from animals, so rare that there are no specialists that deal with it in the UK. She was also diagnosed with ME. There are no ME specialists in the UK either. She tells me that she is lucky. She is pretty certain now that the Q fever was the cause of her ME, but most people never know. She had to go to Belgium to see a specialist and has started a long course of antibiotics that will last for three years and cost her an excess of £20,000, paid for by credit cards, because she could not work. She applied for disability 11 allowance or personal independence payments as they are now, but she was told that she did not qualify because she is not ill enough despite having days where she cannot even get out of bed. She applied for employment support allowance instead, and she was made to go through what she describes as a humiliating assessment where she was made to feel ashamed like she was making it up.  I am proud to say that these private companies will have no part of a Scottish social security system with fairness, dignity and respect as its core values. She fully believes that if the diagnosis was made earlier, then her symptoms would not have escalated the way they did. She copes now, but every day is different, and some days are better than others. My friend Sally has few demands and none that are insurmountable, and in her Scotland manifesto, action for ME set out the following goals. Training for all professionals providing healthcare and support services for people affected by ME linked to the establishment of a national professional network. Access to a fair and effective welfare system that meets the needs of the people with chronic fluctuating and cumulative symptoms. Timely and informed support to help those people with ME who have capacity to access employment, education or training opportunities. All carers have access to timely holistic support and that their needs are routinely considered by healthcare professionals. Every person living with ME, including the most severely affected, has access to a person-centred care plan, including on-going monitoring and support and specialist diagnostic and condition management services. Tomorrow, an organisation called Missing Millions will be placing pairs of shoes outside the Parliament to symbolise some of the people affected by ME and the lives that they are missing out on, as well as the huge contribution society is missing out on due to their illness. I would like to thank them for helping to raise awareness of ME and the many people who suffer from it. I would also like to thank Action for ME, Invest in ME, ME Awareness, the Young ME Sufferers Trust and all the individual people that contacted me about this debate today, including those in the gallery and watching at home. Your stories are both heartbreaking yet inspiring. Presiding Officer, I would like to leave you all with the direct quote from my friend Sally. Society tells us to push through, and many people do when the best course of action is to listen to your body and rest. Take as long as you need, but sometimes by the time ME is diagnosed, the time for rest has passed. When you have a diagnosis, you have to accept it. You have to give yourself time, but other people need to accept it as well. So many people with ME struggle on. It is time that so-called silent illness is silent no longer. Thank you very much. As I have said before, I understand why people in the gallery applaud, but it is not permitted in the Scottish Parliament. I understand why you want to do it. I now call Emma Harper to follow by Brian Whittle. I am pleased to contribute to this debate this afternoon and remind chamber that I am a nurse. I was keen to speak in today's debate not just to support my colleague Gail Ross, but also because I have received a number of emails from constituents with family members who have been diagnosed with ME and they are asking me to help raise awareness of this also. ME is arguably one of the least understood diseases. The most common form in humans is called chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS. It affects young people and older adults. One of the things that I found very interesting is that GPs prefer to call it chronic fatigue syndrome because there are lots of different symptoms that cover it not necessarily just inflammatory processes around the spinal cord and brain. Many people do not realise that this disease can be triggered by a virus or a bacteria such as a viral infection such as glandular fever. It can start suddenly perhaps following an infective process and most commonly affects adults in their 20s and 30s, although there are younger children between the ages of 13 and 15 that also have been diagnosed as well. There is a disproportionate number of women diagnosed with the disease. It is very debilitating in this condition. In the last couple of weeks, I have learned so much more about it as we were contacted by our constituents. I certainly know a lot more about it now than I have done as a practising clinician. Just being tired all the time is not the answer to this disease or the way that we treat it. The muscle fatigue, the problems with memory and attention span and just feeling under the weather generally are part of the symptoms, but that can affect every aspect of people's daily lives. The GPs say that the way to manage the illness is quite important and the correct balance between activity and rest and correct medication to treat the pain and sleep disturbance and sensible use of complementary therapies is also recommended. It is a common view that ME is more of a psychological than a physical complaint. It is deeply harmful from the point that the attitude towards people is not a psychological disease, it is actually physical. The attitudes of some GPs have been brought into question. The evidence points that there is a bit of disparity and some judgmental processes around the way in which people are engaged in treatment. If we have GPs that are empathetic and demonstrate acceptance of their patients' suffering, they will be more likely to make an accurate diagnosis. I was interested to read a paper in the new scientist and the latest evidence arguing that ME or CFS is not psychological was highlighted in that paper. The fact relates to the body's inability to correctly metabolise carbohydrate or high energy carbs and that sometimes those people seem to be processing fats and amino acids, which are low energy yielding and release lactic acid when those energy chemicals or energy carbs are being metabolised. The lactic acid can build up in the muscles and consequently cause pain. In the same article, ME described chronic fatigue syndrome as an autoimmune disorder. Originally, that was my initial understanding of this. The studies and one in the new scientist that I looked at was very important to validate the lived experiences of the people suffering from ME or CFS, but encouraging a shift in the minds of researchers from viewing the disease as psychosomatic and changing that view to make it a real physical disorder. To date, the disease is notoriously under research, and in 2011, the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Simon Wesley, told the Nature Journal that most researchers would rather work on other images than research ME or CFS, and this recent shift in attitude will in turn bring more funding, hopefully, for the vital research that is needed. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has funded a 12-month project run by Action for ME in Form ME Scotland, which will reach out to health and social care professionals and engage them in the dialogue about how to improve the support that is available for people with ME. We can see clearly that more needs to be done, and I look forward to more research being conducted as we raise more awareness of ME and the debilitating disease that many sufferers suffer in silence so that we can get them some more help. I thank Gail Ross for using her member's debate to bring this topic to the chamber. I find speaking in members' debates one of the more rewarding types of contributions to make. Often they give us the opportunity to highlight amazing work being done by people across Scotland that might not otherwise be recognised, or in this case we have the chance to discuss an important issue that deserves greater recognition than it receives. It is my hope that today's debate and international ME day tomorrow will be a step towards correcting that lack of recognition. It was not that long ago that ME was dismissed by many as yuppie flu. It suffers written off as lacking stamina or dismissed as malingerers. Arguably, that image has not been helped when ME is often described as chronic fatigue syndrome, and in my opinion that can leave people with the sense that they understand the effects of this disease.  Speak to anyone after they have run a marathon and you will find someone who thinks that they have a good idea of what fatigue looks like. For those with ME, that kind of fatigue can be an almost everyday occurrence, often provoked by the most minor physical activity. It would be difficult if not impossible for someone without the condition to genuinely understand the impact it can have on their life. We need to encourage greater understanding and recognition for those with ME, because it is only through recognising and understanding this condition properly that we can begin to improve the lives of those living with it. Deputy Presiding Officer, like mental illness, ME can be invisible to others. In recent years, we have seen our attitudes to mental illness evolve and improve thanks to the work of dedicated campaigners and politicians who are willing to speak out. Conditions that were once something to be hidden by sufferers fearful of being stigmatised or ostracised through ignorance of others are now accepted. Because of that, people with mental health conditions are not only getting the kind of help and support they need, but they are able to concentrate on how they are feeling rather than on how they are seen. I hope that this debate can be an opportunity to change how we perceive ME and help sufferers to make that same kind of progress. Some of that work has already begun with events like tomorrow's international ME awareness day and the tireless campaigning by groups such as Action for ME and the ME Association. I also note that the Scottish Government has provided funds towards the mentor ME project being run by Action for ME. However, while those steps are welcome, it is clear that much more needs to be done to give ME sufferers and their families the support that they need. K to the support is the NHS. The availability of specialised treatment and support within the NHS is to say the least patchy. Chronic conditions such as ME will inevitably lead to sufferers having to interact more with the health service than the otherwise might. That being the case, it concerns me to find that the level of support and offer to patients with ME and their carers varies so significantly across the country. One statistic that I found particularly shocking was that Scotland has precisely one ME nurse. To put that in context, I know that we all understand that Scotland has twice as many pandas as ME nurses. Although I must pay tribute to NHS Fife for their decision to provide an ME nurse, I am baffled as to why no other NHS board has chosen to create a similar post. Beyond the NHS, we need to do more to allow people with ME to lead a normal life as possible. We have to do more to support people with ME to be active and productive. Employers need education and encouragement to recruit and retain staff with ME, offering flexible hours or homeworking.  Having ME should not be a reason to put limits on an individual's ambition. There are a few things in life that are disheartening and isolating as dealing with chronic illness, particularly when that illness is not easy to see or well understood. I began by suggesting that members' debates are ways of drawing attention to less well-known issues, and I hope that we have succeeded in doing that for ME, but recognition in this case is not enough. We need action, too, and I hope that both the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament more widely will take action to change the life of Scots living with ME. Deputy Presiding Officer, can I join other speakers and first congratulate Gail Ross for bringing this important debate to the chamber and shining a light on ME? Tomorrow will mark international ME awareness day. The reason why that date is chosen is because of the birthday of Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale was believed to be a sufferer of ME, and just by coincidence, because of the link with Florence Nightingale, tomorrow will also be international nurses day, a recognition of the immense contribution that healthcare workers make to people not just in the UK but right around the world. It is an important day to mark the challenges that people face with ME. As Gail Ross has said, there are 21,000 people in Scotland believed to have ME, almost a quarter of a million people right across the UK, and ME is also commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome. As has already been mentioned, quite often ME is misdiagnosed because many of the symptoms are the same as for other conditions. For example, fatigue, painful muscles and joints, distorted sleep, gastric disturbance, poor memory and poor concentration. An ambition that all of us share will be for all individuals, regardless of what conditions they may or may not have, to live full and fulfilling lives. That should be an ambition for all sufferers of ME. A good way that ME was described to me was to imagine that it was like a battery. Sometimes you had a high energy, sometimes you had low energy and you had to try and work at how to preserve your energy to maintain that battery, whether that be through the day. It is something that is known as the functional ability scale. It is something that particularly young sufferers of ME use on a day-to-day basis to get by. It is important on days like this to recognise the work of third sector organisations that do so much to highlight causes like the ME. I want to pay particular tribute to the ME association, to action for ME and, in particular, to the young ME sufferers trust, who help to provide information to young sufferers of ME about how they can make a difference in their own lives. I am sorry that we will not be here tomorrow for the missing millions protest, but I hope that it is highlighted in the media, particularly on social media, so that we can help to share that message. I want to reflect on a piece that I read this morning in the Edinburgh evening news from an ME sufferer, Emma Shorter, who is just 23 years old. She was highlighting not just the everyday challenges that she faces being an ME sufferer, but what we as parliamentarians and what the Scottish Government can do to make a meaningful difference. She was talking about how we should have a dedicated helpline and a dedicated website that is funded by the Scottish Government. I think that that is something that would be welcomed. I know that it was part of the strategy that was published in 2011 by the Scottish Government. She talked about how we should directly fund biomedical research into ME right here in Scotland, so that we can be the gold standard on how to challenge ME and support ME diagnosis and treatment for other parts of the world, too. I think that that would be a very welcome commitment from the Scottish Government. We have also heard about a lack of knowledge from healthcare professionals and clinicians because of how rare the condition is and how we can properly educate our healthcare professionals at all levels so that they can adequately diagnose, treat and manage ME. I want to end on some of the daily impacts that ME has, particularly on children and young people, but also on adults further in life. The impact that it has on health and the ability to access their GP and the GP to be adequately acknowledged to be able to support that individual. The impact that it has on education, whether that be around their studying, their concentration at schools, their exams and how those consequences can have an impact later on life, so how we properly educate school teachers, lecturers and so on, and how they can support students that do have ME so that they too can maximise their full potential. The impact that it has on family life, for example, on parents or on siblings, on their social life and the anxiety that it must surely give to parents when they realise their child does have ME. The one plus perhaps from it would be that the majority of young people and children go on to recover fully from ME and do not live with ME for the rest of their lives. However, if you have ME when you get into adult life, the impact that it has on employment and employability and how we can better educate employers to help to support any sufferer's ME that they may have in their workforce to support them through their day-to-day work but also how that impacts, for example, on leave and also on sick leave. I want to end by thanking Gail Ross again for bringing this important topic to the Scottish Parliament. I hope that we can all resolve to highlight this important cause to challenge the stigmatisation of chronic fatigue and of ME and to resolve to work harder to make sure that we give better diagnosis and better treatment to all. I am delighted to contribute to the debate today on a subject that affects thousands of fellow Scots and almost a quarter of a million people across the UK. There is no known cure for ME and no proven treatment that can be guaranteed to work for everyone. Some people do recover from ME but their recoveries may not be directly attributed to any particular regime or treatment. However, it is recognised that there are treatments and services that can offer real relief to some people with ME. ME Awareness Week began on 10 May and the toxic legacy of Macavidi and Bede must be revisited. A paper written by these two psychiatrists in 1970 has influenced medical, public and media perceptions of ME as anonist for decades. For ME Awareness Week, Press Officer Sarah Staples argues that it is a story that every patient with ME needs to know and share. In fact, it was claimed that it would almost be funny if its effects had not been so tragic. A disease defined by a flawed 40-year-old study where no patients were interviewed and which concluded that ME was mass hysteria because many of those affected were women. They even suggested that the disorder be called myalgia nervosa, which is quite unbelievable when you start to realise the suffering that those people endure. Ask anyone, male or female, who has it and they will tell you their own horror story of the day a doctor told them to go home, take an aspirin and rest, or the time a taxi driver took someone to college joked, while it was only a short walk and it was inferred that they were lazy. One sufferer in Falkirk described how in some days she could only get downstairs by bumping down on her behind and crawling back up on her hands and knees. Others cannot even get out of bed. Another sufferer in my own region described it as getting up after night in the tiles with a bad hangover. ME is also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome, which affects around 250,000 people, children as well as adults here in the UK, and around 25 per cent are severely affected, meaning that they are wheelchair bound, house bound and in some cases bed bound. For children and adolescents, ME is the most common cause of long-term sickness absence from school. That means that there could be around 400 people in my region alone who are suffering but are not necessarily diagnosed as having ME. Many people with ME, or CFS, experience long delays, sometimes over a year in obtaining a formal diagnosis. As a result, they often are given inadequate or even inappropriate or harmful advice on management. That is because medical education on both the diagnosis and the management of ME at both undergraduate and postgraduate level is often inadequate and sometimes even non-existent. For the 25 per cent of people who have severe ME, resulting in being either house or bed bound, domiciliary services and inpatient facilities are almost non-existent. Deputy Presiding Officer, I, like my other colleagues here today, have tried to illustrate how ME can have a huge and life-changing impact on sufferers, and yet it remains a condition for which we are no closer to having a clinical diagnosis. With only four out of 14 health boards providing any sort of service to ME sufferers, and as Brian Whittle has already said, just one dedicated ME nurse in Scotland, it is clear that much needs to be done to assist those suffering and so much more vital research is needed to understand this illness and we must look worldwide at the whole issue surrounding ME. I thank Gail Ross for bringing this vitally important issue forward for members' debate and I hope that the debate-debate today and all the events that are scheduled around the ME awareness week do much to raise issues that ME sufferers endure on a daily basis. Thank you very much. I now call on Aileen Campbell to close with the Government. Ministers and sub-ministers are there about please. I am pleased to have the opportunity to close today's debate marking ME awareness day 2017, which is on Friday and indeed ME awareness week. I thank Gail Ross for bringing in this issue of ME to the chamber this afternoon and a sour for the valuable context of why the date was chosen putting its link to Florence Nightingale. It has been clear from listening to the contributions from members that ME remains a condition that many people do not understand or appreciate the impact it can have on the lives of those who live with the condition. In Gail Ross's opening remarks, she articulated very clearly the severe and significant health implications for those suffering from ME, the physical deterioration and in the case of Emma Shorter, who is physically unable to leave the house and also articulating the mental health issues that this can cause as well and the need to recognise the wellbeing needs in treating mental health issues. Gail's friend Sally's story is also an illustration of how the condition presents herself and the long unfortunate journey that Sally had to embark upon until diagnosis and the escalation of her condition and the physical, mental and financial toll that this has taken on her until she is finally able to be on a path to help her to hopefully get better. All members and their contributions are important in order that together we can raise awareness of ME and the issues that the condition causes and as a Government we believe that everyone living with ME should have access to the care and support that they need and that should be aided and helped by our 2.5 million recurring investment into specialist nursing. I concede and accept that there are issues and more that we need to do however this should help bring about improvements and of course there's more that we need to do and recognise that support is needed for families and carers of those with ME. To this end and I think again it was an issue made raised by Anna Sarwar, the third sector partners also play a crucial role and that role should be recognised. They act as a powerful advocate for people with ME and they also deliver high quality services and support to people with the condition. The Scottish Government has also got a good relationship with Action for ME, the UK's leading third sector organisation in ME and over the past year we've been working very closely with Action for ME and I'm pleased to say that we've recently been able to provide funding to the organisation and to support their In For Me Scotland project. This project will reach out to health and social care professionals and engage them in discussions about how to bring about positive change in the health and social care support available to people with ME. Gail Ross and Emma Harper spoke about the real need to see our medical and social care staff have a greater understanding, empathy and knowledge of ME and I do hope that Gail's friend Sally takes some comfort that her words can help influence how medical professionals respond to the condition and that's why that funding that we have provided to Action for ME to help support a project aiming to improve healthcare pathways and health outcomes for people with ME is so important. The project will also aim to promote education and the condition amongst healthcare professionals, including three round-table discussions, production and dissemination of professional reasons and deliver specialist webinars and seek to bring about positive change in the health and social care support that is available. Again, I'm happy to continue to keep Gail Ross updated on how that work progresses. Action for ME is also about to undertake a five-year peer mentoring project made possible with substantial grant funding of over £300,000 from the Scottish Government's Transforming Self-Management Fund. That aims to build confidence and reduce isolation of people affected by ME and just as importantly for their carers as well. This project will develop a peer mentoring self-management support network across the country. Government support for both of those projects should be seen as a sign of our commitment to improving healthcare outcomes and quality of life for people who live with ME in Scotland. At a national level, our national advisory committee for neurologic conditions is looking at models of care that represent the improvements that we want to see, such as person-centred care and support with care provided by skilled nurses, therapists, doctors and care teams, better access to specialist services and opportunities to participate in research into new treatments. Action for ME also recently met officials from the national advisory committee and are currently exploring how they can work collaboratively going forward as well. Research was also raised as a particularly pertinent issue in relation to ME. Again, I reiterate and recognise the work of third sector organisations, including Action for ME, in raising the research profile of the disease. Officials from the chief scientist's office would be happy to meet with the charity to discuss areas of mutual interest. Applications looking at the underlying causes, diagnosis and treatment of ME are welcomed and, in common with all other applications, those would go through the CSO standard independent peer review process, and I hope that offer from the CSO will be taken up. Gail Ross also, in her opening remarks, articulated the often heartbreaking interaction that ME sufferers have with the DWP. That is why I am proud of the commitment that this Government has made to build a fairer system by designing an assessment process that prioritises the needs of the person and not the needs of those delivering the assessment. For those with long-term conditions, such as ME, we will introduce long-term awards and wherever possible assessments for them will be paper-based rather than face-to-face, and we will stop that revolving door of assessments that have caused so much stress and anxiety and certainly do not do any good to people suffering from conditions that are exacerbated by such stress and anxiety. That is in stark contrast to the experiences that people do recount in relation to the DWP, and that is why we will continue to develop a system that puts the quality and respect at the heart of our approach. Finally, to close, I thank members for their thoughtful and personal remarks throughout the debate. It is important that we continue to strive for improvements in all aspects of care for people with ME, and there is certainly much more that we need to do. We will keep looking at how we can do better, how we should transform and improve care, how we can equip ourselves to deliver even better health and social care services in the future for those who live with ME and, indeed, any other long-term condition. We have a hugely committed and professional workforce in our national health service, and with the continued support and hard work of everybody involved, I am confident that we can continue to improve care and provide better support for people living with ME, and hopefully make sure that the condition is no longer silenced. However, as it is at Parliament and together working across our party political boundaries, we can make sure that we can see very loudly that this is something that we are committed to making improvements for. I thank again Gail Ross and other members for their very informed, insightful and illuminating discussion and debate this afternoon. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes the debate. I suspend this meeting until 2.30.


Sgolwyddon yng nghylch ddaeth. Rwyf yn fawr o'r pryd. A'is cychwyn i weld o'r plengwyd yng Nghymru o'r cyfer y cyfysgareddau a'r cyfer ynw'r cyffredinol o eitbolaeth yn ei cyfysgareddau a'r cyffredinol. Felly mae'n mynd i'r cyffredinol yn credu i gwmpas gan gyffredinol o'r perlwyddo. Felly ma' ymgylcheddau i ddiweddech chi'n rwyf ynlineg, He might also be aware that a few years ago, when similar applications made elsewhere in Scottish waters, the then environment minister Paul Wheelhouse wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport in the UK Government seeking greater powers for the Scottish Government in this reserved matter. Unfortunately, that request was declined. However, again I have written this week to make the same request and I have also made it clear to the Secretary of State that the Scottish Government expects to be fully consulted prior to a final decision been taken on the application. I'm pleased to hear that the cabinet secretary has written again and that he's asked that the Scottish Government be fully consulted in relation to this matter before a decision is taken. There's huge concern in my constituency and neighbouring constituencies of Rob Gibson to the north of the Firth in relation to this matter. I worry that the MCA will just follow a process and automatically grant a licence if the main conditions are agreed to. I wonder if the cabinet secretary could elaborate a wee bit more on what pressure he is prepared to put on the UK Government to devolve this power to us and deal with this matter. I can assure Dave Thompson and other members that I will continue to apply that pressure at the very least absolutely the Scottish Government should be involved in the decision-making process. I can also inform the chamber that our advisers, Scottish National Heritage, have submitted to the consultation as a statutory consultee and I now have a copy of their submission. They indicate they disagree with the conclusion of the environmental statement about the residual likely significant impact and effect on European designated sites. The advisory maritime and coastguard agency is a competent authority in this matter to carry out an appropriate assessment. They believe that mitigation can reduce but not eliminate the risks to the integrity of several designated interests. They also say that it is not possible to conclude no adverse effect on the site integrity in relation to the Murray Firth special area conservation and, of course, the SACs for bottlenose dolphins. The cabinet secretary is aware that this consultation has been on-going for months. There's great concern that has been highlighted by my colleague Dave Thompson, yet there's been utter silence from the cabinet secretary for rural affairs. Would he wish to reflect on whether he was wise to wait till after the consultation before expressing a view? It's only right that the Cromity First should carry out their consultation in what is about extending and existing activity. What I said publicly in the last few weeks is that we would await the advice from our own advisers who, in turn, are statutory consultees for the application that went through the consultation. However, the consultation has closed and I am aware of the views of Scottish Natural Heritage and other advisers. As you can imagine, I am very concerned about what I am learning and I am taking a very close interest in what now happens in response to the consultation outcome. This is a reserved matter. Although, unlike the situation in the fourth ports a few years ago, where a different type of oil has been proposed and different circumstances applied, there are still very real concerns in terms of the Cromity First application and the potential impact on the marine environment. That's why we will take a very close interest in this issue, maker of views known both to the Cromity First authority and also to the UK Government. 2. Alex Ferguson To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported shortage of GPs in rural areas. Cabinet Secretary, Shona Robison. Ministers are fully committed to sporting primary care, including GPs, and ensuring that all communities in Scotland, including remote and rural, will receive safe, reliable and sustainable healthcare services. Over the next three years, the Scottish Government will invest £85 million as part of the primary care fund. As part of that £2.5 million will be invested in work to explore, with key stakeholders, the issues surrounding GP recruitment and retention, which can be particularly challenging in remote and rural areas. Alex Ferguson I am grateful for that response, but in the recent Galloway, there are currently 14 GP vacancies, soon to go up to 16, with two impending retirements. Only four out of 12 training scheme places were taken up this year. 25 per cent of GPs are over 55, and they do not appear to be persuaded to continue working past retirement by the Government's proposed contract. So why is it that, since this Government came to power, the proportion of the NHS budget allocated to GPs has reduced from 9.8 per cent in 2005-06 to 7.4 per cent in 2014-15? What actions will the Government take now to address the decline within the NHS budget in order to make general practice more attractive to young doctors and encourage older practitioners to remain in practice? The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Sport and Well-being Under this Government, the number of GPs employed in Scotland has risen by 7 per cent to nearly 5,000. Of course, we recently announced an extra 100 extra training places, but I accept that there is more to be done. That is why, of course, we are in the midst of negotiating a new contract. There is not a new contract there for GPs to reject or otherwise, because we have only just began to negotiate it with the BMA, and I hope that the member will appreciate that. If we get it right, the new contract has the potential to deliver Sir Lewis Ritchie's vision for primary care, which is one based on a multidisciplinary team. Everybody working to the top of their skill level freeing up GPs to be able to spend more time with those more complex cases. That is what we want to deliver. We will commit to more GPs to deliver that model. Of course, we have already said that, so I hope that the member will appreciate that we are doing a whole range of things that are going to be important in delivering a very good future for GPs in Scotland. I can just end by saying that I would hope that through the junior doctor recruitment, which of course is operating over the next month, we will see a lot of junior doctors wanting to come to Scotland and wanting to train in general practice here in Scotland, because it is a great opportunity for them. Question 3, Drew Smith. Thank you, Presiding Officer. May I ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the personal foot care guidance? Minister, Maureen Watt. The national personal foot care guidance was launched in September 2013, and we have no plans to review it at this time. Drew Smith. I thank the minister for that answer. She may be aware that my colleague Patricia Ferguson recently raised concerns with the cabinet secretary about the podiatry service offered by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Although I do not want to go into individual cases, I have examples of elderly and blind constituents being told to cut their own nails, but my concern really is about the volume of complaints that we are receiving about the service. Can I ask the minister that she seeks statistics from the board on the number of users being turned away from a service that she previously accessed in order to assure herself that this upturn in complaints is not actually a result of attempts to reduce costs? If she does believe that the guidance has been followed appropriately, I would urge her to consider whether or not there are unintended consequences flowing from the guidance that was issued in 2013. I thank the member for his supplementary question. I am happy to look into the figures in Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Personal care is available to anyone without charge for those people over 65 who have been assessed by the local authority as needing it. The legislation includes keeping fingernails and toenails trimmed as one of the aspects of personal care, but that need not necessarily be carried out by a podiatrist. Detailed information is available from NHS health boards and NHS inform as to how one can look after one's own feet or have someone else look after them. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the UK Government regarding the proposed referendum on EU membership. Although the Scottish Government was not consulted on the UK Government's proposals, I last spoke to Minister for Europe, David Lidington, on 2 February and received an update on the tusk letter and the UK Government's position. The Scottish Government believes that continued European Union membership is overwhelmingly in Scotland's best interests, which is why we are making a positive constructive case for staying in the EU. It is essential to ensure that voters are fully informed of the arguments of EU membership and, as such, the Scottish Government is strongly opposed to a June referendum that has been suggested. Given a June date, it would also cut across election campaigns for the Scottish Parliament and other devolved Administrations. The First Minister of the Devolved Administrations wrote a joint letter to the Prime Minister on 3 February, urging him to defer a referendum to ensure that a debate is free from other campaigning distractions. One of the threats of the UK Government's negotiating position is to give greater powers to national parliaments to block or scrap EU legislation. My understanding is that the UK Government has been exploring the possibility of a sovereignty bill to enshrine that, according to the Sunday Times, either in a British Bill of Rights or in another bill. Does the cabinet secretary share my concerns about the implications for Scotland and will she seek urgent clarification of the UK Government's intentions in that respect? Indeed, we share the member's concerns. Alex Neil and Michael Matheson, from their respective portfolios, seek urgent clarification from the UK Government in relation to any proposals for a British Bill of Rights. We will stand firm in our position that we do not want to see a diminution of any human rights across his aisles, but we also need to respect the sovereignty of this place and of the people of Scotland. In relation to the issue of the so-called red card, I think that it should be interested to point out in terms of sovereignty that the red card is meant to allow groups of national parliaments to block EU legislation, but it is worth noting that the existing yellow card procedure, which is a far lower threshold than that proposed by the red card, has only ever been used twice since 2009 and the orange card has never been used before. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Lanarkshire. Minister as ungovernment officials meet regularly representatives of all health boards, including NHS Lanarkshire. May I ask the cabinet secretary at the last meeting whether the out-of-hours service in East Kilbride was discussed and when the residents of the town can expect an update on the current interim situation? As Linda Fabiani knows, the recommended interim model to the NHS Lanarkshire has introduced in the short term is giving them an opportunity to develop a longer-term solution around a broader range of out-of-hours proposals, including those for the East Kilbride area. Those longer term proposals must be developed as I have made clear to NHS Lanarkshire in consultation with staff and the public and have to be completely in line with the outcome of the national review of out-of-hours services published at the end of November. I understand that NHS Lanarkshire is intending to involve Sir Lewis Ritchie in those proposals and discussions in taking that forward to ensure that what they are looking at is very much in line with the national recommendations. I am very happy to write to Linda Fabiani and give her a further update in due course. Question 6. Claudia Beamish has reduced the climate change budget. Minister Aileen McLeod is in relevant portfolios, including support for renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable travel, waste reduction and natural carbon capture through forestry and peatland restoration. Productions are predominantly in the energy budget, and it is widely recognised that the UK Government is hampering the renewable energy sector and putting at risk millions of pounds of investment in the Scottish and UK economies. If the UK Government had kept its previous commitments, the viability of many projects would not now be in question, and Scottish Government support would have been maintained. In addition, the axing by the UK Government of its Green Deal Home Improvement Fund led directly to Scotland losing £15 million in ring-fence consequentials that supported our home energy efficiency programme cashback scheme, but, despite the raft of UK regulatory and policy changes in energy and energy efficiency, we have increased our climate change budget across other areas by £13.3 million. Claudia Beamish, I thank the minister for that answer. It is disappointing to hear the blame being passed to the UK Government when these are issues that are priorities that can be made by the Scottish Government. Agriculture, for instance, accounts for a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions, so it is again disappointing to see a reduction in the rural land-use budget. I would like to ask the minister how that will affect the emissions, and, further, after the failure to meet the climate change emissions this year again, what engagement has there been across portfolios in the Scottish Government climate change sub-committee in relation to the draft budget and climate change? The challenge that we have is that this Parliament does not have all the levers that it needs, not least in the crucial area of energy policy, where we need the UK Government to assist Scotland's drive to develop renewables and carbon capture and storage, not stym yet, as it has done so recently. We are developing our third report on policies and proposals, and that will contain an assessment of the progress towards implementing policies and proposals that have been set out in the RPP2. It will include any adjustments that Scottish ministers consider are required. It is our aim wherever possible to overachieve against our future annual targets to recover the difference by which the earlier targets were missed. The RPP3 will also set out proposals and policies to compensate in future years for the excess emissions from previous annual targets. 7. Alison Johnstone What is its position is on extending train services between Edinburgh and Glasgow later into the evening. Minister Derek Mackay The Scottish Government, as part of the ScotRail franchise agreement, specifies later evening services to be provided to Kate for special and big events across the network, including in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Alison Johnstone I welcome the improvements to the line, and I welcome the minister's assurance that this will happen when bigger events are on. It is important that people have reliable frequent transport options enabling them to get home. Not only after attending events and gigs in the city, but enjoying an evening that perhaps goes on far into the evening. The minister knows, of course, that Glasgow is now home to the third biggest venue in the world, but there would be many benefits to introducing a later train service where the conditions are agreed by staff and unions on an on-going basis, and it would benefit Townslightland-Lithgow in between. Will the minister look into maximising the potential of the improvements to this line? I think that Alison Johnstone raises a very valid point. Previously, there were studies into the cost-benefit analysis and outputs of such an investment. It is something I am happy to look at. Again, as well as the substantial multi-million pound investment in infrastructure track and rolling stock, what further improvements can be made around maximising that rolling stock to suit the timetable and see what further support we can bring in terms of economic growth? To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local organisations that raise awareness for issues surrounding mental health. Mental health is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government, and we continue to work closely with our partners, including the national health service, local authorities, the third sector. Service users and carers to ensure that we offer the best quality of life and opportunities for all people with mental health problems. The Scottish Government funds CME, the Scottish Association for Mental Health, Voices of Experience, the Scottish Recovery Network and NHS Health Scotland, who all work with local organisations to raise awareness of mental health issues. Last year, we announced additional investment of £100 million to improve mental health services over five years. The draft budget for 2016-17 provides a further £50 million, resulting in a total package of £150 million to 2019-20. David Torrance I thank the minister for his answer. Staff members of the Penumbra Fife youth project, an organisation that works in every high school in Fife, are now on 90 days notice as Fife Council of Cutler funding, the Fife prior consultation of service users, which will have a severe impact on crucial services they provide. We do minister agree that early intervention is an important mechanism to prevent mental health problems and help young people who are at risk to focus on positive outcomes. Thank you, Presiding Officer. This is an important question, not just locally, for Mr Torrance, but also because this is Children's Mental Health Week. I would certainly agree with Mr Torrance that early intervention with youngsters in particular is crucial. I would also conclude that Penumbra are a great organisation. I am aware of the situation. Fife Penumbra have not approached me directly on the matter, as Mr Torrance sets out. It is a decision for Fife Council, but I would certainly expect Fife Council to consider the impact that any closure might have on young people and have plans in place to mitigate any adverse effects. To ask the Scottish Government what impact the closure of the Glasgow Queen Street tunnel will have on commuters in the Clydebank and will guide constituency. The ScotRail Alliance has developed a temporary timetable for the Queen Street tunnel closure, which minimises the impact on all commuters and allows the vast majority of customers to continue to travel to and from Glasgow by train. Four services will continue to operate each hour from a guide to Glasgow, and customers using Clydebank will experience a reduced service from four to two trains per hour. During the tunnel closure, there will be 12 trains each hour connecting the west of the city with Glasgow Queen Street low-level and Glasgow Central low-level. With the upgrading works taking place at Queen Street to enhance our railways, I wondered if the minister, after the works that are carried out, would look at the possibility of a feasibility study for a rail halt at the Allender to increase capacity, which would be allocated on the branch line between Hilfoot and Mulgai. I understand that the council is carrying out an appraisal of that in line with our guidance. I am happy to look at that and give it due consideration through, for example, the Scottish stations fund. Before we move to the next act of business, members will wish to join me and welcome to the gallery, her excellency, Piety Loose, Terri Nen, the ambassador of Finland to the United Kingdom.


One of the many revelations about Kanye West that came to light recently was that he developed an opioid addiction after having liposuction. Yeah. You heard me. Liposuction. I mean, are you as shocked about this as I am? When did this even happen? Why did this happen? You can never really know or be for sure when it comes to Kanye, but I did a little digging to get the bottom of this and Kanye went under the knife. Now what's going on guys? My name is Sal in the cool and this is before and after transformations. I would love to hear from you guys so let me know who you want me to talk about next in the comments down below. You can hit me up on my instagram at Sal in the cool. Now let's get started. Now let's take a quick glance at Kanye's body transformation since he stepped out in the music scene. In his early years of his career, Kanye seemed to have his way under control and was always able to keep a relatively tight body, especially when he was dating Amber Rose. During this period you could tell Kanye's physique was looking tight during the course of their relationship and they was working out a lot. Geez, remember when they were a couple? We start to see a change in Kanye's body once he married Kim Kardashian and the evolution of the dad bod began. He started wearing looser sweatshirts and pants that did nothing to really compliment his figure. There's been speculation that his weight gain could possibly be linked to his mental health issues. We have to remember the events that have happened in Kanye's life. From the alleged psychotic break, hectic work schedule, the robbery of Kim and of course being diagnosed with bipolar can really add up relatively quickly. It's no secret that when you're mental health tanks, your physical health also takes a hit as well. People with mental health issues tend to pay less attention to their daily health routines. This means that they could turn to food for comfort in order for themselves to feel better. All those poor food choices can contribute to an extreme weight gain and as far as going to the gym, I'm sure that this is much more difficult task to achieve when you're going through as much as Kanye has been. Another factor that could have contributed to Kanye's weight gain is that usually individuals with mental health issues are prescribed medications that can often promote weight gain. You can imagine how hard it must be dealing with these types of stresses while being ridiculed online for your weight gain. I definitely feel for Kanye and think people's reactions online to his weight gain were extremely harsh. Speaking of negative comments online, Wendy Williams was not holding back on her opinion on Kanye's body. In fact, I think she took it a little too far. During her talk show, she wanted to poke fun at Kanye's appearance and even compare him to Rob Kardashian. Now look honey, this is not just the usual weight. Look, he's got fatty knock knees which run in the family, so welcome to the club. He needs a breast reduction. His belly is ill. Just slovenly. Look worse than Rob Kardashian on Rob's worst day. Forget the idea that he's wearing the Make America Great Again hat, we all want America to be great again. I'm talking about the neck down, what a mess. She continued to tear into Kanye and Robert's appearance. At least Rob gained his in the belly and the booty. Kanye blew up like a woman. You know how hard you might have to each get like this as a man. Now we all know that Kanye can be hard to take in sometimes and maybe we all don't agree with his behaviour or opinions but comments like these are a little bit out of line. If you have someone's body like that on national television is never ok and she clearly does not care about Kanye's current fragile state of mind. Wendy sent out an awful message which publicly bodied shaming Kanye. She pretty much is saying that anyone with a body type like Kanye and doesn't have an athletic body are disgusting which is never ok to say.  Now let's get into Kanye's lipo suction. During a recent interview with TMZ, Kanye was open about the reason behind the decision to go under the knife and get lipo. Kanye was afraid that people would make fun of him the way they did Rob Kardashian who didn't attend Kim's wedding because of his size. Kanye stated this. I had plastic surgery because I was trying to look good for y'all.  I made him fly home before me and Kim got married. I didn't want y'all to call me fat so I got lipo suction right? There's no denying that Kanye's body is back on track but it's kinda sad that he took such drastic measures and went through a procedure that also killed his mom if you guys didn't forget all because he was afraid of what others would think. Wendy Williams I really do hope Kanye stays strong and gets better. Alright guys, that's a wrap on today's video of the foreign after-transformations. My name is Stella Nicole and thanks for watching this video. Let me know who you want to document next and you can reach me via my Instagram page at Stella Nicole. Bye guys.