Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government about improvement to the A1.

Dualling the A1 to Scotland will have to be done in stages to limit disruption. The 13 mile section of the A1 between Morpeth and Ellingham is already being dualled as part of the first Road Investment Strategy. The Department has had Board level discussions with Transport Scotland about improving the remainder of the A1 from Newcastle to Scotland, and will continue to look at the case for dualling the route, taking into account Scotland’s revised Transport Strategy upon its publication.