MPs pressed the Scottish Secretary on whether he has held talks with the First Minister about another independence referendum, with Labour and Conservative members arguing the SNP should focus on government rather than a new vote. Douglas Alexander said he had asked to meet the First Minister but was refused, and said the 2014 referendum agreement does not exist now; he then confirmed the Government’s position that there should be no new referendum.

Ministers said the UK and Scottish Governments remain committed to the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, after agreeing changes in March to make it more affordable and realistic. The discussion focused on keeping projects such as Chapelcross and the Innerleithen mountain bike innovation centre moving, and on a request for meetings to maintain momentum behind the deal.

Ministers said Paisley and Renfrewshire South will benefit from £39 million in city deal funding for Clyde waterfront links, but the debate focused on the stalled redevelopment of the Paisley Centre after its main investor withdrew. Johanna Baxter urged ministerial help to restart the project, and Douglas Alexander said the Scotland Office would arrange a meeting to discuss how to work with the council to secure the town’s future.

MPs clashed over whether the shift from oil and gas to clean energy is creating enough jobs in Scotland. The government pointed to more than 1 million green jobs across the UK, over £10.2 billion of investment in Scotland and more than 105,000 jobs supported there, while the Conservative side said oil and gas jobs were being lost faster than green jobs were replacing them and warned that skilled workers were leaving the country.