The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick): The next item of business is a statement by Derek Mackay on the Forth road bridge. The minister will take questions at the end of his statement, and there should therefore be no interventions or interruptions.
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Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): Does the minister recall my announcing in June 2007 that there would be a new bridge delivered in 2016? Is it a result of a proper and permanent response then, and effective management now, that we are on schedule and £1 billion below the budget that I announced at that time?
Derek Mackay: I think that it is fair to say that, as well as all the other contingency plans that have been put in place as a result of the bridge closure, the decision that was made to build the replacement crossing is a rather substantial contingency plan. The events have vindicated the Government’s decision to build a replacement Forth crossing, which is being delivered on time and under budget.