Scotland Office minister Lord Dunlop denies poll tax accusation

Lord Dunlop, left, is pictured sitting next to Prime Minister David Cameron at a meeting last month with Nicola Sturgeon

A Scotland Office minister has said claims he was involved in bringing the poll tax to Scotland are a "complete myth".

The SNP had claimed that Lord Dunlop, who was an adviser to Margaret Thatcher, had played a "leading role" in the introduction of the charge.

But he said the charge had been "signed, sealed and delivered" before he ever got to Downing Street.

Lord Dunlop was speaking to ITV's Representing Border programme.

Andrew Dunlop was given a peerage after the general election which allowed him to take on a role as a junior minister in the Scotland Office as part of the Conservative government.

At the time, the SNP's leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, described the appointment as a "scandal".

Mr Robertson added: "If one thing demonstrates how out of touch the Tories are, it's the appointment as a government minister for Scotland of an unelected lord who played a leading role in the imposition of the hated poll tax on Scotland."

But Lord Dunlop told the programme: "I don't want to be a killjoy, but I think that is a complete myth. It is a complete myth, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

"The poll tax was signed, sealed and delivered before I ever got to Downing Street and my policy areas were very different - defence procurement, employment and training.

"Indeed one of the policies I was very associated with was the creation of Scottish Enterprise, which is still doing great work in Scotland today."