THERESA May’s Brexit minister has told the Scottish Government they will not get powers over immigration while still part of the UK.

David Davis, the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, met his Scottish counterpart Michael Russell in Glasgow yesterday for what was described as a “full and frank” discussion.

Last week, when opening the SNP conference, Nicola Sturgeon had given May an ultimatum, arguing that Holyrood needed “powers to strike international deals and greater powers over immigration”.

“We will seek to make this plan a key element of the UK’s Article 50 negotiation,” Sturgeon told her party.

During the EU referendum campaign, leading Brexiteer Michael Gove had suggested immigration powers would come to Scotland in the event of a vote to leave.

Yesterday, Davis said there was no scope for this at all.

“Immigration and international affairs are both reserved powers,” Davis said, adding: “It’s hard to see how a separate immigration policy would work for any part of the kingdom.”

Any deal reached between the UK and the EU would “of course, reflect the interests of the people of Scotland,” the minister said, adding: “Similarly it’s got to reflect the interests of Northern Ireland, Wales and England as well.”

However, he seemed to stray from the claim made by May’s official spokeswoman on Thursday that “the government does not believe that there is a mandate for a second referendum on Scottish independence”.

Davis told journalists: “I don’t think the Scottish people want another referendum, but that’s for them.”

Asked if he thought the UK’s discussion with the EU might be affected by talk of Scottish independence, he replied: “The negotiations haven’t started yet. And I don’t think that I’m even going to worry about that.”

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said there had been 50 meetings between Holyrood and Westminster officials on Brexit. “It’s not a surprise the Scottish Government, SNP, support independence, and they’re going to continue to promulgate that view, but we believe that we can conduct the negotiations in a way that will deliver the best possible deal for Scotland and the UK,” he added.

Davis had been at Strathclyde University, meeting with businesses, and arts organisations. A spokesman for Russell said, despite Davis’s dismissal, the Scottish Government would soon set out a proposal of packages for powers to help Scotland remain part of the single market. He said: “Every part of Scotland voted to remain in Europe, but a Tory government with just one MP out of 59 here is now trying to drag us out of the EU.

“In those circumstances Scotland has every right to put forward proposals to protect our interests, especially if – as has been reported – special deals are being looked at for areas which voted heavily to leave Europe.

“The Prime Minister has already given the First Minister a clear undertaking that she will properly consider options we bring to the table as part of the UK negotiating process to protect Scotland’s interests, and we will bring forward such proposals.”

Labour’s Lewis McDonald said: “Scotland deserves better than two nationalist governments determined to further divide our country.

“It is incumbent on the UK and Scottish governments to work together to secure the best possible deal for Scotland. Only Labour stands for what the majority of Scots want – remaining part of the UK and maintaining our relationship with Europe.”

May and Sturgeon are to meet in Downing Street on Monday.