A SCOTTISH Government minister has branded the UK Government “deeply disrespectful” after repeatedly ignoring calls for an emergency meeting over immigration policy post-Brexit.

Ben Macpherson, the Scottish Government's finance and migration minister, told Holyrood’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee that he has appealed to Westminster politicians seven times for a meeting – but has received “no positive responses” and is yet to meet with immigration ministers since Boris Johnson took office.

Mr Macpherson warned that he has “not met an immigration minister since the last government – the May government.”

Conservatives said the claims the Scottish Government were being constructive was “disingenuous” and was “another attempt to further the cause of independence”.

The UK Government has proposed introducing a points-based immigration system following the end of the Brexit transition period in December which is says will mean "EU and non-EU citizens will be treated equally".

But the Scottish Government has put forward “a range of constructive solutions” to better cater for Scotland’s needs, Mr Macpherson stressed.

The suggestions from the SNP include the devolution of migration within a UK framework, a rural migration pilot, UK-wide changes to the immigration system and greater influence by the Scottish Government over the shortage occupation list used for the points-based system.

He said: “Unfortunately, the last time I met with a UK Government minister was in July 2019 – that was with Caroline Noakes who, to her credit, despite policy differences, had established a fairly regular engagement with myself and the other devolved administrations.

“However, the breakdown in that since the Johnson government come into power has been unfortunate, to put it mildly and very disappointing, given the importance of these issues.”

Mr Macpherson added: “I have written now seven times to the various different ministers in post – Brandon Lewis twice, Seema Kennedy, Kevin Foster three times including in August 2020 and Priti Patel asking for a meeting since July 2019 and have had no positive responses.

“I’ve had some responses in writing but no positive responses to a meeting, no phone calls, nothing.

“I think it’s astonishing and deeply disrespectful to the devolution process that an issue as important as immigration has not been engaged with by the UK Government – who in other areas of government policy do have at least some regularity of inter-governmental exchange.

“I would encourage them and urge them to engage with myself and my Welsh and Norther Irish counterparts on these very important issues.”

The minister added that the UK Government is being “ideological on this and not logical” regarding its plans for a points-based immigration system – warning that “tailored solutions” will be “increasingly required” in Scotland when the freedom of movement for EU workers ends.

He added that the UK Government proposals will lead to a “much more restrictive environment” and will make it “much more challenging for employers to obtain the people they need to prosper and succeed”.

But Scottish Conservative MSP, Oliver Mundell, blasted the assertion from Mr McPherson, backing the UK Government proposals.

He said: “No-one is disputing the need for solutions and creative thinking across immigration, but to try and pretend that this is a constructive approach when it’s yet another example of the Scottish Government refusing to recognise the constitutional settlement in the United Kingdom and another attempt to further the cause of independence, I think is disingenuous.

“I think it shows exactly why the UK Government is right to continue to pursue a points-based system that works well in other countries.

“Why are organisations like the CBI still in favour of finding a UK-wide solution to prevent disruption for businesses?”

Mr Macpherson insisted he has “tried to reach a compromise position here for the wider benefit of Scotland to try and improve the immigration system for the UK as a whole”.

Scottish Greens co-leader, Patrick Harvie, warned that both parties are seeking opposite objectives.

He said: “Even with the best will in the world, if both governments wanted to co-operate and meet together and discuss properly, they appear to have fundamentally at-odds objectives.

“The UK Government wants to significantly reduce immigration, operates a hostile environment and is ending free movement in order to achieve that objective whereas the Scottish Government welcomes immigration, values it and doesn’t want to turn off the taps in that way.

“Clearly, there’s a dysfunctional inter-governmental relationship on a number of fronts and an unwillingness, I think more on the part of the UK Government, to resolve that.”