When it will announce a local public inquiry on consultation processes relating to the A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch bypass.

Due to the unavailability of parties to the inquiry, it has not yet proved possible to set a date for the public local inquiry relating to the A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch bypass. A further pre-inquiry procedure meeting is being arranged when programming of the inquiry and suitable dates will be discussed with the main parties. With statutory periods for advertising the inquiry and lodging of documents plus the intervening holiday season, it seems unlikely that the public local inquiry will be able to be arranged before September 2003.