§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the programme for dualling the Al road from Musselburgh to Haddington and onwards to Dunbar, giving projected start and completion dates, and the relevant financial details from his Department's capital programme for roads.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonFollowing our routes south of Edinburgh study, I announced that consultants would be appointed to prepare the AI dualling scheme from Bankton (Tranent) to Haddington and the further 77W dualling to Dunbar. The necessary preparatory work is progressing well and we are on course to meet the commitment given for a start to construction of the Bankton to Haddington dualling scheme by the mid-1990s. I expect the consultants to report later this summer on selected route options. The consultants report on the further dualling scheme between Haddington and Dunbar is expected in the latter part of 1992. In view of the uncertainty surrounding the time needed to complete the necessary statutory procedures start and completion dates are not available at this stage in the preparation of the schemes. Scheme costs will depend upon the complexity of the works and the line followed which cannot be predicted with any certainty at this stage.