NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray has criticised Scottish Westminster MPs for meddling in English affairs.

In a Commons debate, Mr Gray has described as absurd and unsustainable that despite the formation of a Scottish parliament, MPs north of the border come to Westminster to vote on exclusively English matters.

Controversially, the Conservative MP claimed that Prime Minister Tony Blair's sensitive policies on foundation hospitals and university top-up fees were being propped-up by the Westminster Scottish gang.

"How can it be that we in England are being given foundation hospitals and top-up fees thanks to Tony Blair using Scottish Labour MPs' muscle to force them into place in England?" he asked.

"That's despite the fact that the Scottish Labour Party has banned foundation hospitals north of the border.

"The whole question of the Scottish parliament is a constitutional muddle and it needs to be sorted out."

Mr Gray, who is the shadow rural affairs spokesman, is advocating that legislation impacting only on England should be debated in the Commons on the days when the Scottish parliament is sitting in Edinburgh.

International issues could then be discussed on the days when Scottish MPs were present.

He considered it inappropriate for MPs representing Scottish constituencies John Reid and Alistair Darling to be respectively Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for Transport in England.