STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

SCOTLAND cannot stay in the EU after the UK leaves, the Scottish Secretary has told MSPs.

David Mundell, the sole Scottish Conservative MP, told a Holyrood committee that even if Scotland was to be independent it shouldn’t count on an easy passage into the EU.

As the Prime Minister is set to trigger Article 50 next month to begin negotiations to leave the EU and Scottish Government Ministers have talks with the UK Government about a separate deal for Scotland, he said it cannot happen.

Mr Mundell said: “There is no set of circumstances where Scotland could remain a member of the EU when the rest of the UK has left.”

And referring to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other ministers warning Scotland may choose to seek independence if EU single market access is denied he warned of a long process.

He added: "If Scotland's constitutional position were ever to change it would have to apply to be a member of the EU afresh, and we should not make easy assumptions about the length of time this would take, the process Scotland would have to follow, or the terms of membership that might be on offer."

He said that the UK deal would cover all four nations and Scotland would leave the EU at the end of the Brexit negotiations.

The Scottish Secretary said: “In terms of access to the Single Market the issues as they affect Scotland are the same as those that affect the rest of the UK.”

He said immigration was one that impacted on the whole of the UK and was no different for Scotland dismissing concerns that some sectors relied on seasonal workers from EU countries.

He added: “There are more seasonal workers in the east of England than in the whole of Scotland.”

He said Scotland’s concerns and proposals would be listened to and considered and the UK Government would respond to them.

However ha said: “I haven’t seen evidence that Scotland would benefit from a differential agreement but I’m still open minded to proposals.”

He said there could be a different outcome on immigration for different sectors with new immigration laws but not for different nations within the UK.

Mr Mundell told the Europe Committee: "I'm not minded to a view that immigration should be devolved, the Scottish Government have made that case.

"But going forward, we want to have an immigration system that allows for those jobs that are necessary in our economy to be filled."