Demonstrators had gathered to greet him on arrival outside Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
David Cameron has avoided angry protests as he made his first visit to Scotland since becoming Prime Minister.
Hundreds of noisy demonstrators had gathered to greet the newly installed PM on his arrival outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
But instead of entering through the Queensberry House entrance at Holyrood as expected, Mr Cameron went straight into the building via the underground car park.
The move meant he avoided about 200 demonstrators gathered outside the main entrance, chanting anti-Tory slogans and carrying banners calling for an end to job cuts.
Mr Cameron is in Scotland to meet First Minister Alex Salmond and opposition party leaders, fulfilling a pledge to visit the country within a week of taking power. The Prime Minister was accompanied at Holyrood by his new Scottish Secretary, Danny Alexander, who is one of 11 Lib Dems elected in Scotland at the General Election.
The Conservatives secured just one MP in Scotland, failing to break through in any of the other 10 constituencies they targeted. Mr Cameron will have been asked for assurances about devolved powers and will face a plea for an extra £700 million.
Among policies in the Tories' power-sharing deal with the Lib Dems is a commitment to implement the proposals of the Calman commission, including extra tax-varying powers for Holyrood. Plans for a commission to consider the "West Lothian question", whether MPs representing Scottish seats should vote on matters affecting only other parts of the UK, are also included.
After meeting the leaders of the main Holyrood opposition parties, Mr Cameron addressed an audience of MSPs, Holyrood staff and media in the Garden lobby of the Parliament building. He said he wanted a "fresh start" in the relationship between Westminster and Scotland and he pledged to appear before the Parliament once a year to answer questions.
Mr Cameron said : "However much we disagree about issues we should try to work together for the benefit of the whole of Scotland and the whole of the United Kingdom as well. I will never give ground on keeping our UK together."
The Prime Minister has pledged he would govern Scotland with "respect" and he said: "I believe Scotland deserves that respect and I want to try to win Scotland's respect as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom."
By The Press Association
