John Lamont is Conservative MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk

Potholes

As part of an extra £950m the Scottish Government will receive due to spending decisions made by the Chancellor, more than £41m will be heading Holyrood’s way this financial year for local roads maintenance.

It’s entirely up to the Scottish Government how they spend this money. Indeed the SNP has in the past chosen not to spend extra money as a result of spending on hospitals in England on the NHS in Scotland. That is a decision for them.

However, me and my party colleagues are calling on the SNP to spend all of this additional £41m improving the dreadful state of roads in the Borders and elsewhere in Scotland.

Scottish Borders Council recognise this is a huge problem for residents and businesses but with an ever-dwindling budget, there is only so much the council can do. They have already set aside £22 million on roads and bridges, including an additional £1.8m boost to the resurfacing budget.

This extra money could make a significant difference to roads in the Scottish Borders, which we all know are still in a bit of a state. That is why the Scottish Government need to use this extra money wisely and not fritter it away on some pet project. It needs to go directly in to fixing roads in the Scottish Borders and elsewhere in Scotland.

Remembrance Sunday

It was great to see the Borders doing us all proud with all the excellent poppy and commemorative displays to make 100 years since the Armistice.

Remembrance Day began in 1919 following the First World War. The first two-minute silence in London took place in 1919 around Manchester Garden. With the memories of that conflict so fresh, it was an emotional silence I am sure. Now, everyone who fought in the war has passed away, but that did not stop a worldwide commemoration to mark a century since the end of the Great War.

I was honoured to take part in the Remembrance Day service in Coldstream this year. It gave me and other local residents the chance to pay tribute to all of the brave men and women who have fought, and continue to fight for this country. I have been pleased to see so many local residents wearing poppies and showing their respect for this great cause.

Whether you watched the service on television, attended a remembrance service, or just took some moments to yourself to quietly remember the sacrifice that has been made and that is being made for this nation, it is a symbol of our solidarity and respect for those who have given their lives in the service of their country.

Christmas Card Competition

And finally, you may have heard that due to an over-zealous official, Scottish Borders Council have told its schools they cannot enter my Christmas Card Competition.

To that I say, bah-humbug and would urge anyone under the age of 18 and their parents in the Scottish Borders to have a go and enter my competition anyway.

You can send your A4 design to my office in Hawick (25 High Street, Hawick, TD9 9BU). If you write your name, age and address on the back, you’ll be in with a chance of being selected as my official Christmas Card this year and winning our star prize! Entries need to be in this Friday, November 23.