Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase trade and business co-operation between Scotland and a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

A well‑functioning UK internal market is vital to economic growth across all parts of the country, with trade between the four nations worth around £129 billion and particularly important for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government therefore carried out an expanded review of the UK Internal Market Act, engaging closely with businesses and other stakeholders. We are also now delivering our ambitious Industrial Strategy. We want to ensure that Scottish businesses are able to trade freely with the rest of the UK without encountering any unnecessary trade barriers.