Gordon Brown set out yesterday to assure the public the government was doing whatever was necessary to eliminate the possibility of further terrorist attacks.

Gordon Brown set out yesterday to assure the public the government was doing whatever was necessary to eliminate the possibility of further terrorist attacks.

In a packed House of Commons, during his first session of Prime Minister's question time, a nervous Mr Brown set out a raft of measures, including steps to be taken at home and abroad, so that possible threats could be identified and thwarted.

Implicitly reflecting government concerns that terrorists have infiltrated not just posts in the health service but other professions, he pledged to expand the checks made on skilled migrant workers.

"We will expand the watch list of potential terrorists, so we list them in such a way that authorities in different countries can be warned. We will expand background checks where there are highly skilled migrant workers coming into this country. Where people sponsor them, we will ask them to give us their background checks," he said.

Mr Brown, who has talked to President Bush, the secretary general of Nato and the Prime Minister of India in recent days, also revealed he had asked Lord West, Security Minister, to examine NHS recruitment, and he signalled his intention to sign agreements with other countries to deal with potential threats. They would also allow for the deportation of people to countries where, he argued, they should be rather than in this country.

Later, the Prime Minister's spokesman added few details about the NHS review but did not deny the imperative of reassuring the public.

Scottish Health Secretary and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said of the review of NHS recruitment: "The Prime Minister has not yet set out the full scope, remit or timescale but we will represent Scotland's interests on any review process, given our devolved responsibility for the NHS in Scotland.

"In doing this, it is important we do not lose sight of the fact skilled and experienced healthcare professionals from overseas make a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of everyone using the NHS in Scotland."

Details of the link between the people who have been arrested and the medical profession have shocked those who work in the NHS.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, of the British Medical Association, said the prospect that medics were allegedly involved was "appalling".

In the Commons, Jim Sheridan, Paisley and Renfrewshire North, tried to pre-empt demands for a Scottish inquiry into the terror attacks.

Insistent that a turf war should not break in the wake of the terror attacks in London and Glasgow during Prime Minister's question time, he asked Mr Brown to assure MPs any terrorism in this country was a British problem that required a British solution.

Thanking the workers at Glasgow Airport, Mr Brown said: "Not only did a number of people who were employees at Glasgow Airport come to the rescue and take action against those people who were later arrested, but the airport came back to normal within 24 hours as a result of the determination of the British people to send out a message that terrorism will not disrupt our way of life. So I will take on board the comments that you have made."

Mosques and Islamic organisations in Glasgow will hold a rally on Saturday to show their opposition to terrorism.

Faith leaders, churches and trade unionists are expected to attend and Ms Sturgeon will address the rally.