The Prime Minister has said she does not believe Scots who voted to remain in the EU want a second independence referendum.

Writing in The Times, Theresa May said she does not believe their votes represent "a wish to separate Scotland" from the rest of the UK.

It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Prime Minister's plan to take the UK out of the single market ''undoubtedly'' brings Scotland closer to a second referendum on independence.

Read more: In full - Theresa May's Brexit speech

Mrs May said the Westminster Government will work with the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations to "deliver a Brexit that works for the whole of the UK".

She wrote: "While I respect the views of all those in Scotland who wanted the UK to remain in the EU, I do not believe that their votes represent a wish to separate Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom or rerun the independence referendum."

In a speech on Tuesday setting out her 12 key objectives for EU withdrawal, Mrs May announced Britain will leave the European single market but will seek a ''bold and ambitious'' free trade agreement to allow it to continue doing business with its 27 former partners without having to pay ''huge sums'' into EU budgets.

In the newspaper article on Thursday, Mrs May said she hopes the UK Government's "comprehensive plan for Brexit" addresses concerns and issues raised in Scotland as well as elsewhere in the UK."

She said Scotland's businesses want maximum access to the EU single market and that the UK Government will seek the "freest possible trade in goods and services between the UK and EU states".

Mrs May said: "Scotland's businesses have been very clear about something else. They have placed paramount importance on protecting and developing our UK single market.

"This should come as no surprise. We know from the Scottish Government's figures that Scotland's trade with the UK is worth four times Scotland's exports to the EU.

"As we work with the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations to deliver a Brexit that works for the whole of the UK, our guiding principle must be to ensure that no barriers to living and doing business within our own union are created.

"That is vital for Scotland and it is a desire, I believe, that is shared by the Scottish Government."

Mrs May also said she wants to guarantee the rights of EU citizens who live in Scotland, and the rights of Scots who are living in other member states "as quickly as we can".

She stressed Scotland's importance as a "powerhouse for academic research" and said she wants to build on that in the new "Global Britain".

Attempts to bridge the divide between the Westminster Government and the other administrations over Brexit will continue in London at a meeting of ministers from the devolved governments on Thursday.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister will attempt to reassure nervous business chiefs about her plans for Brexit at the World Economic Forum in Swiss ski resort Davos.