Labour has demanded a probe after official figures showed that a number of SNP MPs have claimed far higher travel expenses than the politicians they replaced at last year's general election.

Ten have claimed twice as much or more than the MP who previously held their seat.

Labour claimed that the figures, which include staff travel, showed that SNP MPs were "milking the system for all it is worth".

But the SNP hit back saying that they reflected the fact that their MPs were working harder than many ex-Labour MPs had.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) said that Stirling MP Steven Paterson claimed £41,506 last year, far more than the £17,569 claimed by then Labour MP Anne McGuire in 2013/14, her last full year in the job.

Alex Salmond, now the MP for Gordon, claimed £48,470.66 in travel expenses last year, while his predecessor Malcolm Bruce, a Liberal Democrat, claimed £22,394 in 2013/14.

Mr Salmond said that his personal travel expenses had totalled just over £19,000 but that he had been advised by House of Commons officials not to travel alone on public transport for security reasons.

The advice was given to the former First Minister when he was re-elected as an MP last year, before brutal murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.

Mr Salmond said that in the wake of Ms Cox's murder Labour's comments about his travel expenses were "beneath contempt".

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “These figures show SNP MPs are milking the system for all it is worth and taking taxpayers for a ride."

The party called for Nicola Sturgeon to order an internal audit of her MPs' expenses.

An SNP spokesman: “While Scottish Labour MPs were all but nearly wiped out at the last General Election, SNP MPs have consistently worked harder than their predecessors with higher attendance rates in the House of Commons.

The expenses include staff travel costs as well as MP travel to ensure constituents are better-represented in Westminster, and the expenses of Scottish Labour's only MP are actually higher this year than last.”