Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent progress has been made with the Borderlands Growth Deal.

Heads of Terms for the Borderlands Growth Deal was agreed by all parties in the Borders on 1 July.

Since then, my officials have continued to engage with the Borderlands partners, including a meeting in Carlisle on 9 August to consider governance arrangements and a meeting in Edinburgh on 27 August with lead officers to discuss progress across all the themes.

On 11 September, officials are due to meet with the Scottish Government and Dumfries & Galloway Council to discuss the particular proposal for a Dairy Innovation Centre.