The well-known road safety campaigner Neil Greig says that the Scottish Government’s proposal to cut the single-carriageway speed limit from 60mph to 50mph is

“a cheap gimmick that would do little to reduce death and injury”.

Those are his words, not mine. What it would do is increase journey times and costs for many rural road users, including those who use key routes such as the A9 and the A96. Instead of going down that route, why does the Scottish Government not improve road safety by finally delivering on its promise to fully dual the A9 and the A96?

The Government remains committed to the dualling of the A9 and the A96—[ Interruption .]—

Let us hear the First Minister.

—and is taking practical steps to advance those projects.

On the question of road speed, a consultation is under way. The reason why we are having a consultation is that there are different opinions about how best to tackle the issue. I am regularly pressed, as is the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, on the number of fatalities and accidents on our roads. We would be neglecting our duty if we did not examine what options are possible to address that situation.

I hear the comments that Mr Fraser puts on the record from an individual whom I know well and who contributes significantly on the subject. However, if members of Parliament want us to address the issue of fatalities on our roads, we have to explore what the options are for doing that. That is what the Government is doing.