AN MSP has called for an investigation into claims workers on the Queensferry Cressing have been paid below industry rates and are working amid health and safety breaches.

Lothian Labour MSP Neil Findlay has called for an "urgent independent pay audit of the workers engaged on the project", raising concerns about a Portugese sub-contractor and also pay rates for tradesmen it is claimed are £4 an hour below industry minimum.

He is to meet with Scottish Economy Secretary Keith Brown along with officials from construction union UCATT on Thursday and a Scottish Government spokesman said the audit would be one of the issues discussed at the meeting.

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The Scottish Government said it has received assurances over pay rates from the lead contractor, the Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors, which said it has received written assurances over the treatment of workers from management at Sosia.

It is the latest problem to hit the new £1.4bn bridge, after previous allegations of workers breaching immigration rules, and tradesmen walking off the job last year over pay and conditions.

Mr Findlay raised concerns in a motion to the Scottish Parliament over "reports regarding the treatment of workers employed on the Forth Replacement Crossing project by the Portuguese subcontractor, Sosia Ltd".

He said construction industry union UCATT has identified people being paid "well below recognised industry rates", including joiners receiving £7.67 an hour and labourers receiving £6.32 against Construction Joint Industry Council (CIJC) minimum hourly rates of £11.61 and £8.73 for joiners and labourers.

He said: "I will be meeting with Keith Brown and representatives of UCATT who have direct first-hand experience of working with tradesmen and contractors on site who have suffered a list of issues that we want the minister to address, issues that have been raised time and again.

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"It would be completely disgraceful if workers were being ripped off on this flagship Scottish government project.

"The SNP government should set up an independent audit of pay immediately - it has completely failed to strengthen the rules around public contracts to stop workers being ripped off."

Steve Dillon, regional Secretary for UCATT Scotland, said: “We welcome Neil Findlay’s motion and now call on the Scottish Government to audit this listing project before it starts sinking under a tide of infamy.”

UCATT claims that the alleged immigration raid on the Queensferry Crossing last month, when seven Indian men employed at the new Forth crossing construction site were arrested amid claims they were working illegally, is just one example of wider workplace abuses there.

A Scottish Government spokesman: "It is for our contractor Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) to manage matters relating to its workforce and sub-contractors, however Transport Scotland takes any allegations with regard to health and safety practices and employment conditions very seriously.

"Transport Scotland have been provided with assurances from the contractor, FCBC, that contractual agreements are in place to pay local rates and that all site workers are safety trained and certified appropriately.

"Economy Secretary Keith Brown will meet with Mr Findlay to discuss the issues he has raised on Thursday.

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"Transport Scotland will continue to work with our contractors to ensure that all obligations over workers’ rights, health and safety and pay are being met on the Forth Replacement Crossing project.”

FCBC is a consortium of Hochtief from Germany, American Bridge from Pittsburgh, USA, Dragados from Spain and Morrison Construction from Scotland

A spokesman for FCBC said it has received written assurances that Sosia "is paying its hourly employees in line with CIJC payment rates and is, therefore, meeting the obligations set out in its contract with FCBC relating to the pay and conditions of its employees".

On average over the past year 1,242 people have been directly employed on the project.

There are currently 25 Sosia personnel on-site working on the road deck of the southern approach viaduct where they are involved in concrete reinforcement installation and concrete finishing.

Sosia could not be contacted last night.