As the UK Government continues to develop and implement the levelling up fund without the consent, agreement or engagement of this Parliament or the Scottish ministers, the Scottish Government has been excluded from meaningful or formal involvement in the process. The lack of respect for devolution has been further exacerbated by the fact that the fund enters into devolved areas, which means that the UK Government is encroaching into areas in which the Scottish Parliament was elected to deliver.

We will, of course, work with our regional partners in all their endeavours, building on the close partnerships that we have established since devolution.