Opposition MSPs have mounted a challenge to plans to close courts across Scotland as Labour accused Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill of "ignoring" local communities.

Labour's spokesman Lewis Macdonald hit out at the Scottish Government after Parliamentary Orders to close 10 sheriff courts and seven justice of the peace courts were tabled at Holyrood.

The Labour justice spokeman said he was putting forward motions to annul the orders, backed by Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Alison McInnes.

The Scottish Court Service has already recommended the closures, which could help save £4 million a year in running and maintenance costs.

Mr MacAskill said last month shutting the courts was justified as the money could ''be better spent on improving services and facilities at a smaller number of courts''.

Earmarked for closure are sheriff courts in Dornoch, Duns, Kirkcudbright, Peebles, Rothesay, Cupar, Dingwall, Arbroath, Haddington and Stonehaven, with their business transferred to nearby locations.

Justice of the peace courts in Annan, Irvine, Motherwell, Cumbernauld, Portree, Stornoway and Wick also face being closed down.

The Parliamentary Orders will be considered by MSPs on the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee.

The court closures could then be voted on by all MSPs at Holyrood, if the motion to annul the orders is backed by the committee - which has four SNP MSPs on it alongside four opposition MSPs and one independent.

Mr Macdonald said : "Kenny MacAskill is ignoring the views of local communities on court closures and the arguments made against those closures by MSPs of all parties last month.

"These closures can still be stopped. I am tabling motions to annul the Parliamentary Orders today, with support from other parties.

"If MSPs on the Justice Committee annul the Orders, Government ministers will be forced to justify their court closure proposals in the Scottish Parliament itself."

He argued: "MSPs need to speak out on behalf of their constituents, whatever their party.

"If they do, these court closures can be stopped, and people in places like Dingwall, Stonehaven, Arbroath, Cupar and Haddington will still have local access to justice in future years."

Ms McInnes said: "We're at the eleventh hour but there is still time to save locally-delivered justice in communities across Scotland.

"If members on the Justice Committee back our cross-party motion, it would push the bill into the chamber, where all MSPs would be able to speak up for their local community."