Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to implement a Highlands specific Region and Growth Deal to work alongside the Inverness and Highlands City Region Deal.

The UKG committed £53.1m to an Inverness and Highlands City Region Deal in March 2016 which covers the Highlands area. This is part of the £1.4bn the UK Government has announced for the funding of ten City and Growth Deals in Scotland. More recently, the Government has committed to provide 100% coverage of City and Growth Deals for Scotland.

The Scottish Government is accountable for City and Growth Deals funding in the usual way and in line with the fiscal framework. Audits will be undertaken by Audit Scotland and the National Audit Office in the usual way. Detailed accountability and working arrangements are currently being agreed between the UK Government and Scotland Government via a Memorandum of Understanding which will be published in due course.