NICOLA Sturgeon has agreed to look into the provision of motor neurone disease (MND) care after meeting a dying campaigner.

Gordon Aikman, former director of research at the pro-UK Better Together movement, launched a campaign after being diagnosed with the terminal condition. He has called for research funding to be doubled, fast-tracked benefits and a cancellation of care charges. He is also demanding that the number of specialist MND nurses be doubled from the current seven, with the posts paid for by the public purse.

He was given a special judges' award at The Herald Scottish Politician of the Year Awards and used his acceptance speech to ask the First Minister to meet him to discuss care for MND sufferers. Mr Aikman said they "had a positive and productive meeting. The First Minister agreed to end the national scandal of charging terminally-ill patients for personal care."