§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if a public local inquiry has been held into the proposed bridge over Loch Creran, in Argyll and Bute; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonA public local inquiry has been held and it is expected that my right hon. Friend's decision will be issued during the course of this summer.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in assessing the priority of the proposed bridge over Loch Creran and other competing schemes elsewhere in the trunk road network; when he expects building work to begin; what timetable he envisages for the project; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe scheme to build a bridge over Loch Creran on the A828 cannot command priority at present in the trunk road programme given the high returns available from competing projects of national importance. Following publication of the public local inquiry decision, further preparation work on this scheme will proceed only when there is a reasonable prospect of early funding being available. Present indications are that this is unlikely to be the case within the next five years.