What the outcomes were of his recent discussions with the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Executive on funding for the construction of a new crossing over the River Forth.

I want to see the new crossing over the River Forth built. We had a constructive meeting on 4 March and identified a number of ways of dealing with the funding of a new bridge.

I thank the Scottish Secretary for that answer. People in Fife are getting exasperated by the failure of the Scottish Executive and the UK Government to reach an agreement on this. The £1 billion that has been offered is not new money, and not a single penny has been raised by the Scottish Government to pay for this bridge. I know that the Scottish Secretary and the First Minister are not best buddies, but can they please kiss and make up and sort out this problem before it has an effect on Scottish jobs and Scottish investment?

I know that the hon. Gentleman has been campaigning for this bridge for some time, as have my hon. Friend Lindsay Roy and others in Fife. We had that meeting, and we offered a package of support of up to £1 billion for the new Forth road crossing, including £500 million as consequentials from Crossrail. I am disappointed, and I think all of Scotland will be disappointed, that the Scottish Government at the moment refuse to accept this offer of unprecedented support for this Forth crossing, but despite the opposition, the offer still lies on the table.

Does my right hon. Friend accept that not everyone agrees that there should be a second bridge going across to Fife? Indeed, many of us believe that it should be a tunnel, because it would last a lot longer. The problem with a second bridge is that in 30 years' time it will have the same problems as the present bridge, and maybe we should be looking at an alternative and that should be a tunnel—and we could take out some coal at the same time.

I am happy to listen to my hon. Friend's representations that we should have a bridge, a tunnel, a flyover or any other sort of crossing across the Forth. The important thing is that we make progress. That is why the Treasury offered unprecedented deals to the Scottish Government of up to £1 billion to help to make a reality of the Forth crossing—because it is so important to Scotland's economy. I repeat, despite the SNP's opposition to an unprecedented offer, the offer still stands.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that a funding mechanism is vital, not just for Scotland's infrastructure but, as we have already heard from my right hon. Friend Mrs. McGuire, for the future of the construction industry in Scotland, which is in decline due to the failure of the Scottish Futures Trust?

My hon. Friend raises an important point. He is an acknowledged expert on the construction industry in Scotland. Of course, the Scottish Government have to get Scotland building again, and it is for them to discuss how they do that. As for the UK Government, stability in the banking sector and the way in which we save savers from the actions of the bankers, the fact that there needs to be additional support for the construction industry in Scotland is generally recognised. However, I am confident that with the stability that the UK Government have ensured in the banking sector, Scotland's construction industry can have a bright future.