Boris Johnson has sparked a fresh row with Nicola Sturgeon, after branding her time in Bute House “disastrous”.
The prime minister told MPs that the SNP had failed in “delivering education, in fighting crime, in tackling the scourge of drugs” north of the border.
His comments came after the SNP’s Pete Wishart questioned his commitment to devolution.
Mr Wishart citied comments from former Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings, who earlier this week claimed the prime minister wanted to abolish the Scottish Parliament.
Asked if that was his view, Mr Johnson said “no” adding: “I was a massive beneficiary of devolution, it was the Labour government’s decision in the late 90s to follow the John Smith package and to devolve that enabled me to become mayor of London, and I think it was a great thing.
“But, what you didn’t find when I was mayor of London was me endlessly attacking central government and moaning about it and you didn’t find me endlessly trying to shuffle off blame and responsibility.
“I think the problem is not with devolution I think it is with the party in power.”
He added: “There are disastrous aspects of the Scottish Government, the SNP’s performance in delivering education, in fighting crime, in tackling the scourge of drugs.
“I think there have been lamentable failures.”
Mr Wishart concluded by asking the prime minister if he would be venturing north of the border again anytime soon, to which Mr Johnson said: “Wild horses won’t keep me away”.
Mr Johnson, who was appearing before the Commons liaison committee, was also asked repeatedly whether he had sacked former health secretary Matt Hancock.
Mr Hancock left office in disgrace after it was revealed he broke social distancing rules with an aide during the height of the pandemic.
Mr Johnson, in response to Labour MP Chris Bryant, said: “On your question about Mr Hancock, the former health secretary, let me just go back to what I said many, many times, and I think I said on the floor of the House of Commons.
“Which was that we all read about the story concerning Mr Hancock and the CCTV and so forth on I think the Friday, and we had a new health secretary on the Saturday.
“And considering that we are in the middle of a global pandemic, and it’s quite a thing to move your health secretary, Mr Bryant, I think that was quite fast-going if I may say so and that’s all I have to say on that matter.”