A no-deal Brexit would be "disastrous for Scotland" and "should not even be contemplated", Michael Russell has said.

The Scottish constitutional relations secretary accused UK ministers of "rattling sabres" with the EU about the possibility leaving the bloc without a trade deal.

He also reiterated the Scottish Government's view that Downing Street should commit to retaining Britain's membership of the European single market and customs union.

It comes as UK ministers published a series of technical notices (TNs) advising businesses and the public on how to prepare for a no-deal scenario.

However, the UK's Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, outlining the plans earlier on Thursday, stressed that coming to a deal with EU negotiators remained the government's priority and expectation.

If the UK was to fail to come to an agreement with Brussels, it would leave the European Union without a deal on March 30 next year.

The most pressing issue for businesses which trade with the EU highlighted in the new papers would be the necessary establishment of customs checks in the event of no deal - which may require new software and logistical support for companies.

A TN also explained that without a deal, UK-based payment service providers would lose direct access to the EU's payment infrastructure, meaning a rise in debit and credit card charges.

Another paper said that new medicines would need UK rather than EU approval before they could be made available to patients, while pharmacists have also been advised to stockpile an extra six weeks' worth of medicines.

The Prime Minister's deputy, David Lidington, was in Edinburgh earlier on Thursday and denied that a no-deal Brexit would imperil Scotland's place in the UK.

The Cabinet Office minister said it remained in the best interests of all parts of the UK to get a deal with the EU based on the Chequers plan agreed in July.

Lidington insisted there are "powerful and persuasive" arguments in favour of keeping the union together even if Britain crashed out of the European Union with no final agreement.

But speaking to STV News, Russell said it was the Scottish Government's position that the UK should rule out a no-deal scenario.

He said: "A no deal Brexit would be disastrous for Scotland.

"It's very difficult to anticipate a no-deal Brexit because, by definition, it's never happened before.

"But it would mean a huge dislocation, for example, in trade if there was no customs deal, or aviation deals, or travel deals.

"It's not something that should even be contemplated."

The minister continued: "We've saying for a long time to the UK Government that the best thing is to stay in the EU, but if you're not going to do that, commit yourselves to the single market and the customs union - the best way of having stability.

"That option is still open and it is utterly ridiculous that the UK Government is talking about a no-deal Brexit - they should be ruling it out."

He added: "The Scottish Government will do everything it can to prepare for that eventuality but the obligation is also on us to say: 'This should never happened and there is a way out of this.'"

Russell also personally criticised Lidington for not requesting a meeting with the Scottish Government "on the very day" the TNs were issued.

But Lidington insisted Brexit discussions with the devolved administrations had been "constructive and business-like", with Scottish and Welsh ministers given input into the notices.

The Cabinet Office minister said: "We've taken very careful steps to try and identify those areas of no-deal planning where devolved competency is involved."

He added: "The texts of the TNs certainly went to the devolved governments for comment and in the case of certain technical notices they were amended by us as a result of comments from either Scotland or Wales.

"There were some which, when I saw in draft, I said, 'hang on, you've not given enough thought to the fact there is devolved competence here, that needs to be spelled out'.

"I'll accept that there needs to be continuing awareness in Whitehall about the fact that we are operating in a constitution where significant areas of policy delivery are devolved in both Scotland and Wales, and that departments needs to be alive to that in their drafting and in their consultation processes."

On if a no-deal Brexit would jeopardise the future of the union, Lidington said: "I think that the merits of the union of the United Kingdom are still there and are still very powerful and persuasive regardless of the outcome to the European negotiations.

"The UK Government is absolutely determined to get a deal and a deal that works well for all parts of the United Kingdom.

"But I think if you look at this just in crude business and economic terms, I think the value to Scotland of the single market of the United Kingdom, the ability to buy and sell in every part of the United Kingdom, is something that is of huge value to businesses and customers in Scotland."