Transport secretary FIona Hylsop refused to say when work to dual a key road in the north of Scotland could be carried out, as she told MSPs the budget for capital infrastructure projects was “in a very difficult position”.

Hyslop insisted the Scottish Government “remain committed” to dualling the A96 road, which runs between Inverness and Aberdeen.

She told MSPs at Holyrood she is “acutely aware of the importance of the route” and stated: “Our current plans are to fully dual the route.”

But Tory MSP Liam Kerr said: “In 2011, the SNP promised the A96 would be dualled in fully 2030. No ifs, not buts.”

He raised the issue with Ms Hyslop after a crash earlier this month killed two people.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Politics Matters