Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond has hit out at "hapless Government ministers" and "teenage scribblers" in the Brexit department for misquoting SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon.

Mr Salmond said UK Government ministers had twice smeared Ms Sturgeon over comments she made in July 2014.

The current Scottish first minister suggested 160,000 non-British citizens from other EU nations could lose their residency rights if Scotland were outside Europe.

Read more: In full - the UK Government's Brexit Bill

In light-hearted exchanges in the Commons, Mr Salmond raised a point of order pressing Brexit Secretary David Davis to correct the record, after he cited this quote during Brexit questions on Thursday.

Speaking moments before Mr Davis introduced the landmark European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill in the Commons, Mr Salmond said: "I'm glad the Brexit Secretary is here for his moment of history.

"If I could just retain him a second, because during Brexit questions he used a quote from my successor as first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, somehow suggesting that Nicola Sturgeon wanted to deprive 160,000 European citizens of their right of residency in Scotland.

"By the wonders of modern technology, I've traced the original quote from July 2014.

Read more: In full - the UK Government's Brexit Bill

"In fact, Ms Sturgeon was arguing exactly the opposite, that that was one of the reasons that Scotland would remain as an independent country a member of the European Union.

"I know the Brexit Secretary well, he's a decent and honourable man. However, I found that another Government minister used the same smear last October.

"So I'm bound to conclude that some teenage scribblers in his department are feeding out misleading information to hapless Government ministers, who are then repeating it to the House.

"I'm sure the Brexit Secretary, perhaps even before he has his moment of history, will want to correct the record."

Amid laughter on both sides of the House, Mr Davis replied: "Of course, if I'm wrong I apologise.

"I will send him the quote directly that I've given from The Scotsman at that time."

Read more: In full - the UK Government's Brexit Bill

Ms Sturgeon is quoted by The Scotsman as saying: "There are 160,000 EU nationals from other states living in Scotland, including some in the Commonwealth Games city of Glasgow.

"If Scotland was outside -Europe, they would lose the right to stay here."