At Westminster on Wednesday, Mark urged the speedy implementation of the Calman proposals to give the Scottish Parliament greater control over raising the money it spends.

He received a positive response from Jim Murphy, the Secretary of State for Scotland who stressed the UK Government’s determination to press ahead in implementing the Calman report.

There was also discussion in the Commons about the SNP’s use of a taxpayer-funded trip to the United States to push its case for independence rather than to boost US investment in Scottish business and tourism as it should have been.

Mark commented:

"When ministers go abroad they should be fighting for more jobs and investment for Scotland, not talking up constitutional chaos and separation."

Mark was clear that the visit should have been used to put the case for investment in Scotland’s industries and businesses so that our economy continues on the road to recovery.

There has been speculation in the media that a future Conservative Government could slash the budget for Scotland. This would contrast sharply with the way the UK Government under Labour has consistently increased funding for Scotland – the recent Budget continued this by increasing the Scottish Government’s budget by an extra £82 million in 2010-11. 

The SNP ‘s refusal to back the then Labour Government in a vote of confidence in 1979 ushered in a new Conservative Government under Mrs Thatcher. Its political manoeuvring to get independence at all cost, now as then, threatens to put at risk the recovery by putting independence before jobs and investment.

A UK Government Minister with responsibility for Europe recently warned of some of the practical problems that would have to be faced by an independent Scotland in negotiating its future within the European Union.

Foreign investment, from the US or elsewhere, would not be helped by uncertainty about the nature of Scotland’s future relationship with the rest of the UK and the European Union whilst lengthy negotiations took place with the rest of Europe to determine the terms on which Scotland would become an independent member of the EU.

In pursuing such a vaguely sketched out idea of independence, the SNP is at odds with most people’s priorities in Scotland. It should be concentrating on setting out the future of Scottish economy by attracting new investment rather than scaring it off through uncertainty over our future relationship with the rest of the EU.