To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to upgrade the A1 to motorway standard.

Traffic levels on the A1 through Borders region are approximately 5,000 vehicles per day. Even on the highest predictions for traffic growth and making allowance for improvements to the route south of Newcastle we do not expect this figure to rise to a level which would justify dual carriageway or motorway provision. We are, however, providing dual carriageway on those sections of the route which justify it, and plan to spend £50 million on the A1 in due course.