The Tories have put pressure on Nicola Sturgeon to reform the tax on property sales in Scotland - claiming the tax introduced by the Scottish Government has "gummed up" the housing market and blown a £55 million hole in the budget.

Conservative leader Ruth Davidson challenged the First Minister to adopt proposals put forward by the industry body Homes for Scotland to reform the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).

That was introduced by the SNP to replace Stamp Duty in Scotland, with figures from tax collectors at Revenue Scotland showing it raised less than predicted in 2016-17.

Ministers had anticipated LBTT on property sales would raise £538 million of the year, but in the end it brought in £483 million - with Ms Davidson saying that was because the new system had resulted in a "considerable drop in activity" in the housing market.

The Tory blasted: "On the very first new tax administered by the Government the First Minister has got completely wrong. She gummed up the housing market, she blew a £55 million hole in her own budget."

Under LBTT sales of properties between £325,000 and £750,000 attract a levy of 10%, with Homes for Scotland saying some of these should be included in the lower 5% band.

Ms Davidson gave her support to that proposal, and challenged the First Minister to do the same.

Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would bring forward tax proposals for the coming year in its budget, describing that as being the "right and proper way to proceed".

But speaking at First Minister's Questions in Holyrood, she insisted that on LBTT Ms Davidson's sums "simply don't add up".

The First Minister said: "Revenues raised in the most recent financial year 2016-17 were actually 14% higher than the revenues raised in the previous year.

"The revenues were yes indeed lower than forecast but that is not something that is in any way unique to Scotland. If we look for example at the corresponding tax in the rest of the UK , stamp duty, the revenue raised there was some 8% lower than the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) forecast.

"These issues are mainly because it is very difficult to predict transaction taxes, but of course the revenues raised also reflect the general economic conditions, property prices generally."

Ms Davidson said prior to the introduction of LBTT organisations such as the Scottish Property Federation had warned the rates would "gum up the market and reduce revenues".

The Tory said that was "exactly what happened", as she said the shortfall would have been worse if the Government had not adopted her party's proposals to bring in a surcharge on sales of second properties and buy to let homes.

Ms Sturgeon hit back: "Let's get into the heart of the suggestion Ruth Davidson is making, because the claim here is that this is due to rates of tax at the top end of the property market.

"The facts tell a different story, let's look at data to the end of August this year, sales of properties between £325,000 and £750,000 are up by 14% annually, sales above £750,000 are up by 10% annually.

"The monthly revenues for August of this year for both these property brackets were at the highest levels since LBTT was introduced.

"So yes, predicting transaction tax revenue is notoriously difficult to do, and that is shown not just in Scotland but south of the border, but revenues in the year we are talking about are up on the previous year.

"And the claims Ruth Davidson is making about the top end of the market are simply not born out by the facts - why can't she just concede that and perhaps do a bit more research and homework in future."