 The next item of business is a statement by Jenny Gilruth on A9 dualling update. The minister will take questions at the end of her statement and therefore there should be no interruptions or interventions. I call on Jenny Gilruth minister up to 10 minutes please. I welcome the opportunity to provide an update to Parliament on the A9 dualling programme. The A9 cuts through the heart of Scotland, some call it the spine of Scotland, linking Lowland with Highland. It is a vital route for the people and the businesses of the north of this country. It is a road on which we have witnessed a devastating increase in fatalities in recent times. Before Christmas, I committed additional investment of £5 million from this Government to improve short-term safety measures on the A9. I am very clear that the main route to improving road safety will be in the full completion of the dualling programme between Perth and Inverness. That has been a long-standing commitment of this Government and we remain absolutely committed to fulfilling that. I recognise the significant public and parliamentary interests in the progress of the route championed by organisations such as the A9 dual action group representatives of whom I met very recently, and also my members of this Parliament who I have met on a number of occasions in recent times to discuss the A9. As MSPs will know more recently, we have been actively progressing the procurement of the next section of the programme from Tomaten and Moy. The process has now concluded and I wanted to take this opportunity today to advise members of the outcome and also to provide an update on the remaining sections of the programme. Before turning to those matters, it might be helpful both to reflect on the scale of the programme and also on the progress that has been made thus far. The programme comprises 11 projects, which together will provide approximately 80 miles of new dual carriageway between Perth and Inverness. With an estimated cost of £3 billion at 2008 prices, that is one of the largest infrastructure programmes ever undertaken in Scotland. Two of the 11 projects providing over 10 miles of new dual carriageway section are complete and are open to use. Those are the Concrete, Delradi and Lunkarty to the Passive Burnham sections, which opened in September 2017 and August 21 respectively. Ministerial decisions to complete the statutory process have been confirmed for eight of the nine remaining projects that covers over 92 per cent of the length to be dualled. For the one remaining section, we are continuing to progress the Passive Burnham to Tay crossing to identify a preferred option following an innovative co-creative process with the local community. An announcement on the preferred route there will be made this spring. Our investment of more than £430 million to date has meant that much has already been achieved. All of that has been done alongside the successful delivery of a number of other significant investments by the Government, including, of course, the Queen's Ferry crossing, Aberdein western peripheral routes and the M8 motorway improvements, delivering really tangible benefits to lives right across the country on a daily basis. Although much is still to be done, this Government is absolutely committed to completing the A9 dualling programme. Separately, as previously mentioned, in recognition of the immediate road safety concerns following fatal accidents that occurred on the route in the second half of 2022, A9 is an investment of approximately £5 million in additional road safety measures for the A9 back in December. I am pleased to confirm that those have now commenced and are progressing well, as was confirmed to me by Bear Scotland at the A9 safety group meeting held last week in Inverness. That includes enhancements to signing and road markings, initially between Burnham and Delgais, and installation of electronic signs to display safety messages between Perth and Inverness. Furthermore, a road safety campaign targeting driver fatigue will begin on the 13 February next week, and preparations for a drive on the left campaign are well under way ahead of a launch this Easter. Next month, I will convene a stakeholder summit with car hire companies serving our main airports to discuss further work that we can undertake with the sector to improve for and drivers understanding of the A9. My sympathies continue to be with everyone who has lost a loved one on Scotland's road. One life lost on any of Scotland's roads is, of course, one too many. As a Government, it was imperative that we responded to the devastating increase in fatalities on the A9, and I am hopeful that those more immediate measures will help to support a reduction in road traffic accidents. I turn now to the outcome of the procurement of the Tomato and Tamoy project. Back in December 2021, three bidders were invited to participate in a procurement exercise with final tenders that were required to be submitted by October of last year. That coincided with external factors, including the pandemic, disruption caused by Brexit and the war in Ukraine, with the inflationary impacts of all those impacting, of course, significantly on the construction market. Unfortunately, the final return yielded only one tender submission. You will note the anticipated cost of the constructed contract was £115 million at the time. Following careful consideration of the tender, the price of which was significantly higher than expected, even allowing for the real-world impacts of the volatile economy, ministers have concluded that a ward of the contract at this time would not represent best value for the taxpayer. At any time, but particularly in the current climate, protecting public finances is an essential part of responsible government. Members will appreciate that due to commercial confidentiality. It would be inappropriate for me to provide any further details of the bid, but I do want to make very clear our firm intention to retender for Tomato and Tamoy at pace and with some urgency. I can confirm that the tenderer concerned has been informed of the decision in respect to the procurement today. I fully appreciate that that will be disappointing news for many people. However, I want to be absolutely clear to members of this chamber and to the communities and businesses that are served by the A9 between Perth and Inverness, that the Scottish Government's commitment to dualling the section between Tomato and Tamoy remains absolute. This has been a very difficult decision to make, but we believe that it is the only responsible one to take given the circumstances presented. I also want to reassure members that Transport Scotland is already taking the necessary preparatory steps for the retendering of Tomato and Tamoy. Work has begun to update contract terms and work will continue on preparations for the new procurement for Tomato and Tamoy, with the firm aim of achieving a contract award before the end of this year. At the end of last year, I invited MSPs to meet with Transport Scotland and wider stakeholders to discuss the range of short-term proposals for investment on the A9, specifically in relation to the increase in fatalities that we have seen on the route in recent times. To that end, and in a similar spirit, I propose that, soon after the retendering process commences, I will convene a meeting with interested MSPs Transport Scotland and relevant stakeholders to discuss next steps, and MSPs should have a letter from me this afternoon to that end. I think that it is imperative that MSPs are engaged with this work, and I recognise the rightful strength and constituency interests in that end. As part of the retendering process, Transport Scotland will engage with representatives of the construction industry, including the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, on how elements of its standard terms and conditions for such projects might be modified to encourage more bidders to participate in future. I think that we also need to recognise, however, that the construction market has changed substantially in recent years, so we want to work very much with the supply chain while securing, of course, a good deal for the Scottish taxpayer. Undoubtedly, the delivery of the overall A9 dualling programme has been impacted by a number of external factors. Although good progress has been made securing the statutory consents, like many other construction projects across the world, progress has been significantly disrupted by the pandemic. In addition, I do not need to remind members that the UK economic climate has been extremely volatile in recent times, particularly in the immediate aftermath of the UK Government's mini-budget in September of 2022. Members will also be aware that Transport Scotland has been assessing the most suitable procurement options for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling programme. Following the principles of the Scottish Public Finance Manual, that work has included consideration of whether procurement should be on the basis of a series of capital-funded design and bill contracts, similar to that used for the recently completed Lincarte to Pass of Burnham project, or whether a number of larger-scale resource-funded public private partnership contracts similar to that used on the Aberdeen-Western peripheral route should be used instead. Due to recent economic volatility, including, of course, as I mentioned, impacts on the borrowing costs of the UK Government's mini-budget, it has been necessary to look at the market changes on the available procurement options. In light of the outcome of the tomato-moi procurement, that assessment must now consider the potential cost implications of any changes to the terms and conditions in our roads contracts. Members will know that the original completion date for the dualling of the A9 was scheduled to be 2025. As MSPs will now understand, that timescale is simply no longer achievable. However, I will set out a revised timescale as soon as possible, seeking to minimise delay as far as possible. It is true that the target date originally set was always an ambitious challenge. It was also reliant on the timely and positive outcome of a range of factors, for example completing public and stakeholder consultation, statutory approval processes, market capacity, supply chain availability and, of course, the availability of funding, all of which have been significantly impacted by the events that I outlined earlier. That has made the 2025 deadline simply unachievable. I appreciate that members will want to know what that new target date might be for completion of the A9 dualling programme, as I previously stated, Transport Scotland is urgently considering a range of different options to provide ministers with advice on the most efficient way to dual the remaining sections. I expect to have that advice by autumn of this year, at which time I will update Parliament to put forward a renewed timescale for completion. I want to close by reiterating the Government's unwavering commitment to deliver the benefits of the completed A9 dualling programme to the people of Scotland. We will support that commitment by continuing to work to obtain the outstanding statutory consens for, of course, the pass of Burnham to Tay crossing project and by completing the land acquisition required as soon as possible. We will also urgently engage with industry partners working together to progress the Tomathe and Tomoy project in a way that offers a good deal for Scottish taxpayers. The Government committed to dualling the A9 for good reason. Dualling of the route will improve connectivity between the central belt and the Highlands of Scotland. It will deliver better opportunities for tourism and business and it will fundamentally improve road safety on the A9 and the lives of those who live in communities alongside the route. Scottish Government's resolute commitment to full dualling of the A9 remains absolute and I look forward to continued engagement with members as we refocus our efforts to deliver the outstanding sections of the road in as timely and as efficient manner possible. Thank you minister. When I take questions on the issues raised in her statement, I intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions after which we will move on to the next slide to business. I would ask those members who would wish to ask a question to please press the request to speak button and I call Murdo Fraser. I thank the minister for advanced site of her statement and I welcome the temporary road safety measures that are currently being implemented. Communities along the A9 in Perthshire and the Highlands have been waiting more than a decade for this Government to fulfil its commitment to dualling the A9 in its entirety from Perth to Inverness, and in that time we have seen just barely 10 miles completed out of a total of 80, just one eighth of the total project. Today we might have hoped for some positive news, some detail on the timetable for the long delayed completion. Instead all we have is more bad news with a further delay to the Tomatin to Moe section. The minister could tell us nothing about what the progress will be on the remaining sections, no details, no timescale, no hope, just empty words repeated over and over again about an unwavering commitment. Actions speak louder than words. Last year 12 people lost their lives on single carriageway sections of the A9. More people will die this year and the next and the year after, as this SNP promise is not delivered. Can the minister give us any indication when this long standing commitment will actually be met and this long delayed and vital road safety project will actually be completed? I very much recognise the strength of interest from members, particularly Mr Fraser, who I recognise raises the A9 with myself and the Cabinet Secretary on a fairly regular basis, noting his own interests in his region. I recognise that there will be similar members from other parts of the local area who will want to do likewise. There are fundamentally a number of challenges that the Government has faced in recent times. He will be aware, I heard the First Minister in response to a question from his benches earlier on, laying out rather some of the financial challenges that the Government has faced in recent times. First of all of course in relation to the impacts of the pandemic, which cannot be understated, particularly in relation to the construction industry, we recognise right across the piece not just in relation to roads building, the impact of the pandemic on more broadly some of the challenges that we have faced in relation to construction. We have had the inflationary impacts in relation to Ukraine and layered on top of that, of course, the impacts coming from his colleagues down south in relation to the mini-budget. All of that needs to be looked at in its totality. That is why the work that Transport Scotland is undertaking at the current time is hugely important to assess the market implications for where we can make the best progress in the quickest and the most efficient way possible. I recognise some of the challenge here and that is why this afternoon I have written to members to outline the approach that I intend to take working with members, such as Mr Fraser, to reassure them of the approach that we intend to take in Government. It is also worthwhile to reflect on the fact that we have made progress in recent times. We have invested, as I mentioned, £431 million to date in delivering the dualling programme. Of course, we need to adhere to the statutory processes in relation to roads building, which takes time. I recognise that there are processes that we need to adhere to in relation to roads building. More generally, as I have outlined to the member, I am keen to come back to the Parliament later this year. The tomatoes and tamoy section has been obviously a challenging one. I do not think that it is one that ministers would have expected. It has been quite an unusual occurrence, having only one tender in this instance. Therefore, we are moving forward at pace in the re-tendering of that specific section. I will come back to Parliament later in the year to set out the timeline that the member has asked for. Rhoda Grant. Presiding Officer, this is a total betrayal of the Highlands, a broken promise that I wonder if the Government ever intended to keep. The scale of the project is exactly the same as it was 16 years ago, sadly almost exactly the same given the lack of progress and the lives that are being lost on this dangerous road. This is an issue of her own Government's making. Have they even attempted to adhere to their own timescale contracts? That would have been awarded by now. It is also shameful that, on the day that Volodymyr Zelenski is addressing the UK Parliament, the SNP ministers are trying to blame the war in Ukraine for their failure to deliver a manifesto pledge from 2007. I ask the minister now to come clean on the estimated timescale of dualling the A9 to Inverness. If she cannot answer that, can she at least give an indication of when the route between Inverness and Dalwini and between Perth and Ballan-Lewig will be fully dualled? Will she now apologise to the people of the Highlands for this gross betrayal? To ask Ms Grant's question, I would ask the member to reflect on some of the other investments that the Government is delivering in the region in which she represents. I was in Inverness last week, for example, opening in Inverness airport station, a significant investment in the local area that will help to improve connectivity. She also mentioned the increase that we have seen in recent times in relation to the number of fatalities on the road. She attended the meeting that I convened with MSPs to look specifically at that issue and asked questions of Bear Scotland and Police Scotland. It is hugely important to recognise the additional investment. I am sure that she does in the short-term measures that I brought forward at the end of last year, which will help to improve road safety on the route. Ms Grant has asked about a timetable. I gave Mr Fraser an answer to the substantive point that that work is being taken in its totality to look at the outstanding sections in its totality, the most efficient route for delivery, and I will come back to the Parliament to update members on that later this year. I am certain that correspondence is already coming in from constituents who are extremely disappointed and concerned about the news about Tomaten to Moi. I have to say that I share their disappointment. I cannot overstate how difficult it will be for locals to believe that this project will be carried out in the face of another delay. I hope that the minister is able to provide assurance that the Scottish Government remains committed not only to this project but to the people of the Highlands amidst continued accidents and fatalities on the road that it has committed to dualling. Can she please give some more detail on how severely restarting the procurement process could delay the dualling of this stretch of road? Can she tell me whether there is an issue with the Transport Scotland procurement process, which makes it unattractive to bidders? I thank the member for her question. I want to give that reassurance that Ms Roddick was seeking in relation to the people of the Highlands. She will know as she was at the opening of Inverness airport station last week how committed the Government is to continuing investment in that part of the country. I recognise very much her interest in the route as a local MSP. Transport Scotland's design and billboards contract has been successfully implemented for the past 20 years. The member asked a question around some of the challenges in relation to that. That is all being considered in the round in relation to how we can move forward at pace. If there are changes that we need to make within Transport Scotland to the way in which we approach those projects, that will be looked at, because we need to make sure that we are attracting as much opportunity for investment as possible and that bidders are not put off potentially from the process. Recent years have seen a decline in the numbers of tenderers, which is fair to say. We understand from industry contacts that that is largely due to the terms and conditions that are set out in our contract, including risk transfer. However, as I mentioned, Transport Scotland is reassessing that approach in light of the current market conditions, which also sit alongside changes that we might have to take moving forward. We will carefully look at how we can get that best balance between achieving cost certainty, making our contract attractive to the market, looking at appropriate risk allocation, which is fundamentally important, but also looking at the role of contracting parties and improving that collaboration between Transport Scotland and the contractor. I call Jamie Halcro Johnston to be followed by Ferkus Ewing. The minister has admitted today what we have all known for some time that the 2025 date isn't going to be met. Communities along the A9 and road users themselves have been kept in the dark on when and if this project will ever be completed. How many years behind this project currently is? When she was first told that the 2025 date was not going to be met? I thank the member for his question. In response to Mr Fraser, this work is on-going and will report later in the year. I would like to come back to Parliament later this year to give that update and reassurance in relation to the deadline. We have to fulfil the statutory processes in relation to carrying out any major roads project in Scotland. It is also clear that the market conditions at the current time would not have allowed us to deliver the full-dueling programme within the original timescale, as previously set out, regardless of the delivery model that we choose. Therefore, we are looking at the most optimal delivery programme to give that certainty to the public. I recognise the member's point in that regard. That is why I have been working closely with MSPs, including the member, on how we can better work with communities to ensure that they understand the next steps in relation to the programme. To that end, of course, I have written to MSPs this afternoon inviting them to engage with me and Transport Scotland on the next steps in the delivery of the project. Today's news will be met in the Highlands with shock, incredulity and anger. I ask the minister why does Transport Scotland, unlike its counterparts south of the border, put all risks of unforeseen costs on contractors? Surely that makes and has made bidding less attractive. Why is that? We are nearly two years into this Parliament that we still do not have a revised timetable to replace a deadline that every single person in the Highlands knows was never going to be achieved? I recognise his strength of feeling, of course, on the A9 in particular, but also on the A96, which is in his constituency. We have met on this route and on the A96 in his constituency and in the Parliament on a number of occasions. I am keen to work with the member on supporting his interests and other interested MSPs, because it is important that we get the next steps right. I have outlined to him some of the challenges that we face in recent times. We have had keen interests at the industry event days when the tender for tomatoes in Moibos was first launched. That was positive at the beginning of the procurement process. We had three contractors pre-qualified before the bid. One of those was withdrew earlier in the process, with a further contractor withdrawing on the day before tenders were due for submission, resulting in only one tender being submitted. Transport Scotland's design and billboards contact, as I mentioned in response to Ms Roddick, has been used for over 20 years. I think that some of the points that Mr Ewing has made are fair. Those are all going to be considered in the wider work in relation to how we move forward at pace with the totality of the sections of the route that remain outstanding. As I mentioned, we have seen a decline in the numbers of tenders on the Conservatives of MSPs that are coming forward. We need to look at the approach that we use within Transport Scotland. That fundamentally will be addressed as part of the wider advice that will come to ministers in the autumn to ensure that we have the best approach within Transport Scotland to attract the most number of bids that are moving forward to deliver the programme as efficiently and as seamlessly as possible. The minister said several times today that the Government is absolutely committed to fully dualling day A9. Are the Greens fully committed to dualling day A9? I am not a Green Minister. I call Jim Fairlie to be followed by Liam McArthur. The A9, my constituency, is fully dualled, but the Shinnifoot junction has been an on-going concern for local folk for many years. Following the minister's visit to the junction we made last year, which I would like to put on record my thanks for doing so, I was delighted to learn that local authority listened to those local concerns and rejected the housing developers' plans to only put an offslip on place when the requirement for the continuation of the housing development required both an on and an offslip. Can the minister say anything about what she will do to ensure that, as the A9 developments continue, she will press to make sure that those incredibly dangerous junctions are given proper consideration to ensure that they are safe for those trying to navigate them? I think that Mr Fairlie raises a fair point. I met with him, of course, and community representatives to discuss some of their concerns about the Shinnifoot junction. As I noted at the time, the junction proposals there were subject, of course, to the on-going planning considerations with the local authority. My officials are still in dialogue with Perth and Cynroth Council and local developers on that matter to ensure that the safety on the A9 is maintained in that location and that access to and from the local communities is improved where possible. It was really helpful to get a site visit with Mr Fairlie to see some of the challenge in that regard locally. Of course, it sits with the developers to develop proposals necessary to access their developments, but I am more than happy to continue that dialogue with Mr Fairlie noting his constituency interests on the section of the route that he has identified. I thank the minister for advance sight of the statement. I think that Fergus Ewing and Emma Roddick have eloquently expressed the reaction that will be among people in the islands to the announcement that, effectively, the promise on dualling the A9 has gone the same way as the promise on rolling out superfast broadband. However, the A9 does not stop at Inverness, so what reassurances can the minister offer to communities north of Inverness that the Government is committed to investment and improvements in the safety of that road? That is Richard The A9. The Government is absolutely committed to continuing those investments, and I want to give the member a reassurance to that end. I also would more generally observe that investments from the Government in terms of road safety have been increasing and will be increasing. I have outlined some of the measures that are taking in relation to the short-term measures. Of course, those target the route between Perth and Inverness, but I recognise some of the further challenges that are on-going from the route north of Inverness. During the October recess, I met with Bear Scotland and Transport Scotland representatives to look at some of the junction closures that will be happening further north of Inverness, and I am more than happy to write to the member with further detail on the financial investments that we have made on that part of the route. It is clear from speaking to Persia constituents living alongside the A9 that accelerating road safety work is everyone's top priority. The minister has helped to outline some of the urgent safety measures that are being delivered, but can she update me on what consideration has been made of proposals to reduce speed limits on dangerous sections of the road, particularly between Burnham and Dunkeld? We have no plans to reduce speed limits on the A9, and those proposals to amend speed limits generally would emerge as the outcomes of the national speed management review conclude. I am more than happy to give the member an update on that. That work is on-going, expected to report in the coming months, and that national speed management review will provide us with the evidence-based to consider any changes in future. Inflation is clearly an issue in all of this. We were told at the finance committee that some projects have gone up by 30 per cent in cost, caused perhaps by Ukraine and also Brexit. Is the minister concerned that we run the risk of tendering again and reaching the same process that there is very little interest and a very high price? I recognise the challenge that the member has outlined and, as I have mentioned in a response to another member, we did originally have three bidders pre-qualified for the bid, which is important to observe. As I have mentioned, one of those bidders, which was due early in the process with the further contractor withdrawing on the day before tenders, was due for submission. That resulted in only one tender being submitted. The outcome of that procurement competition was fairly unexpected—it is quite unusual. We have looked at some of the external factors that have contributed to that. As the member alluded to, Brexit, Ukraine, Covid-19 and inflation, caused by the UK Government's mini-budget, have all had a wider and broader impact on the construction industry. The end of 2022 was also an extremely challenging time for the construction sector more generally, because we had peak inflation and market volatility additionally. Forecasts from the building cost information service show that the market is likely to settle over the coming months and years, and we would anticipate that that will help us to get best value in the re-procurement exercise. Transport Scotland will engage with industry partners such as the CECA to consider improvements that can be made both to our design and build contracts, which has been a theme from some member's questions today, but also in relation to the contract delivery strategy and the procurement mechanisms that we use. Jenny Gilruth has put the A9 on hold today. That so-called unwavering commitment to deliver is empty. There is no delivery programme, but I want to ask why she thinks that firms are showing a lack of interest in working with the Scottish Government. This has been known about for years now. It does not exist elsewhere in the UK. What is the problem? I am not necessarily sure that I would agree with the premise of Mr Simpson's question. I think that it is also worthwhile observing that Transport Scotland initially has also been looking at feedback from the construction industry following the pandemic. It is important that we learn lessons from the pandemic and the implications that it has had on the construction industry more generally. That has given us an opportunity to look at closely sequencing, for example, and construction work in a way that will not result in excessive disruption, but there have been several significant changes through the market consultation, including, of course, as I have mentioned, some of the international impacts, challenging economic circumstances, including, of course, the UK Government's mini budget. It is important that Transport Scotland reassess its construction contracts in light of that change more generally to the member's question. We will look at how we can get the best balance between achieving cost certainty but also making sure that our contracts are attractive to the market. That is fundamentally important as we move forward with the re-tendering programme. I call Gordon MacDonald to be followed by Douglas Lambson. This announcement will clearly come as a disappointment to the communities and to those who have campaigned on the issue over the years, but it is important to focus on exactly how this happened. Can the minister confirm that this decision has been taken at a time of extreme financial pressures globally based on an assessment of value for money and, in line with Treasury Green Book requirements, which ministers are required to follow? Yes. The outcome of the procurement competition was, as I think I have said, now unexpected. We have touched on some of the external factors that have contributed to that, but the end of 2022 was a really challenging time to procure a major infrastructure project. Of course, we had peak inflation at the end of last year and that market volatility more generally. All of that coincided with the end of the tender process. Following what was a pretty difficult and complex procurement procedure, Transport Scotland has decided not to award the contract to Math and Timoise section under the current procurement competition. Having carefully reviewed that tender, we have concluded that it does not meet best value for the current time for the taxpayer. We will seek to secure that continuous improvement in performance, while also looking at the appropriate balance between quality and cost. It is hugely important that that has regard to broader factors in relation to the economy, efficiency and effectiveness, but also to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. I think that the member's question is well put, but I am hopeful that the re-tendering process will deliver a range of options for us to move forward at pace with. Can I ask the Minister of the Delay to the A9 project whether it will have a knock-on effect to other Rose projects? The A96 was meant to be fully dualled by 2030. Will the commitment be met? I think that the member will have received an invitation to meet with the contractors who have carried out the substantive work in relation to the A96. I look forward to meeting with the member on that point and the contractors to talk to the review that has been carried out over the past year. Thank you Minister. That concludes the statement. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next line of business to allow front bench teams to change positions should they wish. Thank you.