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5 tests in Humza Yousaf’s new programme for government, from A9 promises to SNP rebels

The first minister sets out his first full year of business on Tuesday, and it's not just voters he needs to convince.

Humza Yousaf challenged Labour to an Aberdeen election showdown. Image: PA.
Humza Yousaf challenged Labour to an Aberdeen election showdown. Image: PA.

Demands for a fresh A9 dualling timetable will dominate a growing list of problems Humza Yousaf is expected to tackle head-on as Holyrood’s summer break ends.

Voters in the north of Scotland want the first minister to offer clarity on when upgrades to the route between Perth and Inverness will be completed after endless delays.

But it’s far from the only major obstacle the SNP leader needs to get a grip on when parliament returns on Tuesday.

Here are five key topics and policy areas where Mr Yousaf will hope to prove his doubters wrong and show he’s up to the top job over the next year.

1 – Road dualling

SNP leaders first made promises to widen an 80-mile stretch of the A9 in 2008, years before Mr Yousaf was even an MSP.

But earlier this year ministers confessed the government would no longer meet a key target to complete the project by 2025.

Fed-up campaigners who are desperate to see the dangerous route dualled are fast running out of patience.

Upgrades to the A9 have been continually pushed back. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson.

Mr Yousaf can expect to be under continual pressure from his rivals in Holyrood until the vital upgrades are finally finished.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said it will be “one of the key priorities” for his party over the next parliamentary year.

Similarly, the first minister can also expect to come under scrutiny over whether the government intends to dual the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness.

Doubts have been cast over how much of the route will be fully upgraded due to the SNP’s partnership with the Greens in Holyrood.

2 – Oil and gas policies

Once upon a time, the abundance of oil in the North Sea was used by the SNP as a key argument in favour of independence.

Yet under Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership the party shifted in a dramatically new direction against the continued use of fossil fuels.

The UK Government want to push ahead with new oil and gas licenses.

Mr Yousaf has slated Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to grant new oil and gas licences for projects in the North Sea.

He favours investment in renewables instead, but north-east voters question whether green energy jobs can match those provided by the oil and gas industry.

Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for Labour to gradually phase out fossil fuels if he wins power at the next election has further emphasised deep splits on the topic.

3 – Fergus Ewing’s future

Fergus Ewing has been an SNP MSP ever since Holyrood first opened in 1999 and served as a government minister for 14 years.

But constant criticisms of his own party on key matters such as road dualling and energy policy mean his position within the SNP is in jeopardy.

Mr Ewing is a strong opponent of his party’s power-sharing deal with the Greens, previously branding the environmentalits “wine bar revolutionaries”.

SNP rebel Fergus Ewing. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Most controversially, he voted to oust the party’s co-leader Lorna Slater from her ministerial job in June.

He has also spoken out against flagship government policies such as the deposit return scheme and proposed fishing restrictions, both of which have been halted.

The first minister confirmed the SNP will meet to discuss the backbench rebel’s future once Holyrood is back.

He said a disciplinary probe is ongoing, and told the Daily Record: “Voting against a government minister on a vote of confidence is a serious matter. So, the group will meet to discuss that.”

How he deals with one of his biggest internal critics will be seen as a test of authority.

4 – NHS crisis

Winter is always difficult for the NHS, and this time there’s renewed worry about Covid.

A&E waiting times remain high, many rural areas suffer from GP shortages, and residents in Moray still lack local maternity services.

Healthcare worries dominated First Minister’s Questions more than any other topic last year, and more of the same would not be a surprise.

The NHS could face another tough winter. Image: Shutterstock.

Scottish Lib Dem chief Alex Cole-Hamilton told us: “I’ve been up to the Highlands and islands to campaign several times this summer and something coming up every single time is the state of healthcare, particularly in rural areas.

“From rural mental health to a lack of maternity services in the far north, there is a surfeit of issues that need attention.”

Meanwhile, the Tories say they will be pushing for a new state-of-the-art replacement for ageing Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

5 – Education

When Nicola Sturgeon was in power as SNP leader, she told voters to judge her performance on her education record.

Yet now she’s gone, a litany of problems remain for her successor to tackle.

Most recently, major fears have been raised over dangerous crumbling concrete in schools across the country, including in the north-east.

The Scottish Government says reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in 35 schools across Scotland.

Aberdeen University has identified eight facilities across its Old Aberdeen, Hillhead and Foresterhill campuses where Raac concrete is used, Lib Dems warned on Monday.

In England, more than 100 school buildings will remain closed due to the growing crisis despite pupils being scheduled to return.

But senior SNP minister Neil Gray said on Sunday there is “no immediate risk” to staff and children in Scottish schools.

When it comes to what goes on inside the buildings, expect more on early years and nurseries.

In a Dundee school on Monday, Mr Yousaf trailed support for breakfast and after school clubs, and potential further expansion of free childcare and support for staff.

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