SCOTLAND'S new national police force is facing a shortfall of about £70 million next year, its chief constable has said.

But the 2013-14 budget is "do-able" and there are options to be considered about how to "bridge the gap", said Stephen House, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland.

Some £1.2 billion has been allocated for the police for next year. Mr House, who will lead the force when it comes into operation in April, said the budget is a "challenge we will meet".

He spoke out as he answered questions from MSPs on Holyrood's Justice Committee.

"I'm looking at the gap between the budget and what we think it will cost to run the organisation at the moment. That's about £70 million.

"We're seeing a challenge there but we think it is a challenge we will meet."

The budget is "do-able", he said, based on his experience as chief constable of Strathclyde Police which "achieved significant improvements in performance and reduced budgets at the same time".

Mr House has already warned that merging Scotland's eight police forces into one could mean the loss of up to 3000 support staff. But that is the "absolute upper limit".

He said: "Every pound we can save in non-staff expenses and costs is a pound we don't have to take out of support staff."