FORMER Borders MP David Steel has raised concerns within the House of Lords over a lack of progress in fighting Motor Neurone Disease.

Lord Steel of Aikwood highlight a recent interview with former Scotland rugby star Doddie Weir who revealed no new drugs have been developed to fight the degenerative condition in more than two decades.

Weir, who lives in Stow, was diagnosed with MND earlier this year.

And his brave campaign to raise awareness and generate funds for further research has won overwhelming support from around the world.

In a recent interview with the Border Telegraph Doddie told us: "MND is a terrible illness, but it's a card I have been given.

"As many people will know, MND is a muscle-wasting disease and the best way to counteract that is to go to the gym and try to get a bit fitter and get a bit more muscle on if you can and try and make life a lot harder for the disease.

"There's very little being done in terms of curing the disease - there's only been one drug in 22 years and nothing else."

Following on from out interview, Lord Steel tabled a written question “to ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the comments by Doddie Weir, concerning his frustration that there have been no new drugs to treat Motor Neurone Disease developed in the last 22 years - and what steps they are taking to promote research into such treatments.”

A reply from the Government is expected within the next fortnight.