Humza Yousaf would not give a definite date for when the A9 dualling project will be completed as he set out his policy plans for the next year.
The first minister put tackling poverty at the centre of his Programme for Government speech and made key announcements on energy policy.
For the SNP leader, who was seen as the continuity candidate to replace Nicola Sturgeon, it was a chance to set out how his rule would be different.
We look at five key talking points from Mr Yousaf’s update on his priorities for government.
1 – Road dualling doubts remain
Ahead of Holyrood’s return, Mr Yousaf faced calls to give immediate clarity on stalled plans to dual the A9 from Perth to Inverness.
Mr Yousaf told parliament the government is still fully committed to upgrading the route, and said work is underway to find a contractor for a vital stretch of the road between Tomatin and Moy.
But challenged by Tory leader Douglas Ross to offer a firm date for when the scheme will be finished, he refused to say more.
The Conservative MSP for Moray said: “The first minister inserts this into his programme for government and claims this is a big announcement, but there’s nothing to back it up.”
Mr Yousaf was also vague about whether the A96 is to be dualled fully, or whether it will only be upgraded between Inverness and Nairn.
2 – Investment in renewables
After defending the SNP’s increasingly controversial partnership with the Greens, the first minister put tackling the climate crisis at the top of his agenda.
Mr Yousaf said his government will work to halve the time it takes for new onshore wind farms to be approved across Scotland.
The first minister also wants to simplify the process for giving the green light to offshore projects.
In a swipe at his Tory rivals, the SNP chief criticised Rishi Sunak’s plans to grant more than 100 new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, and accused Labour of reversing on key climate policies.
3 – New rent control measures
Last October former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon introduced a rent freeze to protect tenants from rising prices.
A year on the temporary policy remains in place, and her successor now wants to explore introducing permanent rent controls as costs continue to rise.
Mr Yousaf gave little detail on the proposals, but the commitment has been welcomed by tenants’ rights group Living Rent.
A spokesperson for the group insisted urgent action is needed to “bring rents down” and fix the “broken housing system”.
But earlier this year, an Inverness estate agent warned Scottish Government policies were exacerbating shortages in the private rental market.
Mr Yousaf also revealed local authorities across Scotland will be able to introduce a premium for council tax on second homes.
4 – New measures to help children
Setting out why tackling poverty was important to him, the first minister said the rollout of childcare for two-year-old’s will be accelerated.
He also committed to ensuring staff in the sector will be paid a minimum of £12 per hour from the start of April to tackle recruitment struggles, raised by the sector as one of its key challenges.
And the government also intends to work with councils across Scotland to provide free school meals for youngsters in Primary 6 and 7.
5 – Proposals to ban single-use vapes
During his speech to MSPs, Mr Yousaf said the government will consult on calls to introduce an outright ban on single-use vapes.
Demands to curb their use in public spaces have been growing and the topic has become a hotly contested one.
In July, more than 1,000 vapes which failed to meet safety standards were seized from a Highland shop.
Earlier that month, a Huntly councillor warned vapes were a “scourge on society” as concerns rise over their use by youngsters.