Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of visits abroad by Scottish Government Ministers on UK trade policy.

The Hon Gentleman, not the Scottish Government, can be assured that it is the UK Government that has delivered trade deals with India, the United States, the European Union. As the former trade policy Minister, I have some experience in these matters.

In every negotiation there is give and take. The President does not give gifts, he does deals and the negotiating counterpart of the United States is the United Kingdom.