MINISTERS have been accused of treating the Scottish Parliament with contempt, after failing to debate legislation since last year’s election while holding 17 debates on Brexit.

The Scottish Conservatives said Holyrood had sat on 68 days since last May, but the last time MSPs debated a Bill was March 22.

Nicola Sturgeon said in her September programme for government statement she would introduce 14 bills in 2016-17, but so far only four have been laid at parliament.

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The first to come up for debate will be the Budget Bill this Thursday.

The Scottish Tories’ constitution spokesman Professor Adam Tomkins criticised the SNP for devoting so much time to Brexit when Holyrood wouldn’t have a binding vote on it.

He said: “The SNP spent all last week complaining about the need to get legislative consent for Brexit - despite the Supreme Court ruling unanimously against them.

"The truth is, this is a party which has shown legislative contempt for Holyrood, by totally failing to get on with the day job.

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"It has been ten months since any legislation has been brought before the Chamber and the SNP has denied Parliament the chance to properly scrutinise the Government over important matters like the Budget and Scotland’s failing education system.

"Instead of attacking others on the basis of not having regard for the Parliament, the SNP should look to their own faults and get on with the job they were elected to do."

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani said the Budget Bill had been delayed "because the Tory Chancellor delayed the Autumn Statement".

She went on: “And the Autumn Statement was delayed because the Tory government had just lost the EU referendum they held due to splits in the Tory party.

“Mr Tomkins would be better served complaining to his own party for causing this delay.”

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Referring to criticism at the weekend by Aileen McHarg, Professor of Public Law, Strathclyde University, Ms Fabiani added: “Mr Tomkins would also have more credibility on the Supreme Court's judgement if his party had not just been accused of 'wilfully misrepresenting' the court's decision by a leading Scottish law professor."