BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has today been reassured by senior RBS officials that customers will be supported following branch closures across Scotland.

At the meeting at RBS headquarters in her constituency, Ms Jardine asked for assurances over steps to address customer concerns.

She was also given details on the bank's decision to draft in chartered accountants Johnston Carmichael to advise on specific closures.

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine will meet with an RBS director tomorrow to discuss her campaign to open 'banking hubs' in rural areas which have suffered branch closures.

Ms Jardine will sit down with Jane Howard, Managing Director of the Bank's Personal Banking section, at the RBS headquarters in her constituency.

Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine has today warned that proposals for a third runway at Heathrow would undermine the city's own airport and have an immensely damaging effect on Scotland's environment.

The Liberal Democrat MP said she was dismayed that the plans had won the support of both the SNP and Tories and called on those party's representatives in Edinburgh to think again.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today called for an end to national standardised testing as Nicola Sturgeon opened up the door to a u-turn over the controversial testing policy at First Minister's Questions.

Speaking after First Minister's Questions, Mr Rennie said:

"The Scottish Government got rid of the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy because it showed years of decline and replaced it with tests on pupils as young as five.

Responding to the publication of the Scottish Government's Tobacco-control action plan, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Scottish Liberal Democrats introduced the smoking ban in Scotland, providing a major boost to public health and recognising that helping people to stop smoking is a win-win situation.

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Tavish Scott MSP has today highlighted the growing attainment gap in Scotland's colleges and the impending £360m repair bill as he called for new investment to repair Scotland's colleges.

The Auditor General's annual report on Scotland's colleges reveals:

On the day that a Westminster Hall debate on intergovernmental cooperation takes place, Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson Jamie Stone MP has written to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament suggesting that a backbench cross-party liaison committee consisting of MPs and MSPs be established.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today said the Scottish Government must extend freedom of information laws to private bodies providing public services, after it agreed to consult on proposals put forward by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to expand its scope.

Scottish Liberal Democrats have been calling for the measures as part of a package of reforms designed to boost transparency and accountability in the wake of the Scottish Information Commissioner's stern rebuke of the Scottish Government secretive approach to governance.

Questioning the Cabinet Secretary after his statement on the future of Scottish agricultural support, Scottish Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesperson Mike Rumbles MSP said:

"Eighteen months ago the Scottish Parliament unanimously, on a Liberal Democrat amendment, told the Cabinet Secretary to start this process.

Responding to the news that Ineos has lost its legal challenge against the Scottish Government, Scottish Liberal Democrat energy spokesman Liam McArthur MSP said:

"There will be relief that this legal challenge proved unsuccessful but communities at risk of being fracked will have been unimpressed to see Scottish Government spin laid bare.