Tory plans to introduce a new tax band for half-a-million pound homes would amount to a £12,600 tax cut for the rich while the majority of homeowners would gain just £100, the First Minister has warned.

Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to consider a Conservative amendment to the Scottish Government's new land and buildings transaction tax to cut the levy on homes between £250,000 and £500,000 from 10% to 5%.

But she questioned whether it was fair to hand thousands of pounds to the top 2% of society when four-fifths of homeowners would see just £100.

The Tories have described the SNP's current property tax policy as "an ill-judged plan for a tax on aspiration by a left-wing government".

Speaking at First Minister's Questions, Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: "When he unveiled his plans to reform stamp duty on housebuying in October, John Swinney said he didn't want to take more money from people than was currently collected.

"His exact words were: 'I have decided that the taxes raised should be revenue neutral, raising no more or less than the taxes they replace.'

"Since then, stamp duty rates have been cut across the UK by £800 million and by £80 million in Scotland.

"People buying houses now are getting a better deal, yet the SNP's position is to take that deal away.

"It is in fact an £80 million tax grab on Scotland's homeowners."

Ms Sturgeon pledged to consider the proposal, and said her deputy John Swinney will meet with Conservative finance spokesman Gavin Brown to discuss it.

But she added: "It's worth reminding the chamber that under our proposals, compared with UK Government proposals, 80% of transactions would leave people better off or no worse off and 5,000 more people would be lifted out of tax altogether and pay nothing.

"Now, I have said I will consider the Conservative's proposals, but let me tell her one aspect that I want to consider very carefully.

"Under the proposals she has put forward today, the 80% of people who buy houses under £250,000 would be £100 better off than they would be under our proposal.

"But the 2% of people who buy houses over £500,000 would be £12,600 better off.

"So one of the things I want to consider is, simply, is that fair."