That the Parliament welcomes the re-enactments taking place over 2017 to mark the 100 years since Wilfred Owen arrived in Edinburgh; understands that these are being organised by a committee of organisations known as Wilfred Owen’s Edinburgh 1917-2017, which is chaired by Neil McLellan of the University of Aberdeen; notes that Owen arrived in Edinburgh as a patient of the Craiglockhart War Hospital for Officers to be treated for shell shock and that he spent four months in the city; understands that, as part of the commemorations, a re-enactment of his historic walk along Princes Street took place on 26 June, exactly 100 years later; believes that Owen’s poetry demonstrates the needless pain that was faced by the soldiers fighting in the First World War, including his works, Anthem for Doomed Youth and Dulce et Decorum Est, and considers that this highlights the need for all to strive to maintain peace between nations.

John has pledged to support autistic constituents and make Scotland an autism-friendly nation.

He made the pledge at an event held at Holyrood by The National Autistic Society Scotland.

As part of its Too Much Information campaign, the charity is asking people across Scotland to learn about autism and the small changes they can make to their behaviour to be more autism-friendly.

Speaking at the event, John said: “I have pledged to help my autistic constituents by communicating clearly and not using.

“I am pleased to support The National Autistic Society Scotland’s campaign and I hope that people across Glasgow Shettleston Constituency will take time to learn about autism, a condition which affects around one in 100 people.”

Research has revealed that 66 per cent of autistic people feel socially isolated, and 44 per cent sometimes don’t go out because they are worried about how others will react to their autism.

Jenny Paterson, director of The National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “Autistic people and their families have told us that increased understanding is the single biggest thing that would improve their lives. That’s why we’re asking people to take time to learn about the small changes they can make to their behaviour that make a big difference – such as avoiding jargon and showing patience when others seem stressed or anxious.

“I am grateful to John for joining us at Scottish Parliament to show his commitment to making our nation autism-friendly.”

Around 58,000 people in Scotland are autistic. Together with their families they make up around 232,000 people whose lives are touched by autism every single day. To find out more about The National Autistic Society Scotland’s Too Much Information campaign, please visit www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi.aspx

To ask the Scottish Government how it can ensure that organisations in the third sector are able to have their voices heard.

Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership have replied to Johns Letter to the Parkhead Consultation.

Commenting on the response John said:

“The response from GCHSCP refers to the Health Board’s “strategic model of service delivery” and is not very positive about the possibility of extra acute services at the proposed upgraded Parkhead Hospital.

There is however a more hopeful note towards the end of the letter which notes that they will “consider options for the location of clinically appropriate services.”

We will be following up on this and continuing to put forward the case for more acute services to be provided within the East End.”