More than 140 Scottish drivers have been approved to take the wheel of buses and lorries despite declaring health issues that cause blackouts, it has been claimed.

Of more than 15,000 HGV licence applications to the DVLA last year, about 9,000 were approved despite medical issues declared, a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by the Daily Record found.

Of that figure, 142 applicants had raised issues which cause blackouts and were given approval.

About 5% of applicants were refused on medical grounds.

It comes after the fatal accident inquiry into the Glasgow bin lorry crash earlier this year.

Harry Clarke, 58, lost consciousness at the wheel of the truck on December 22 last year as it careered off Queen Street, killing six people.

The Crown Office ruled out any criminal prosecutions over the deaths but when called to give evidence to the inquiry, Mr Clarke repeatedly refused to answer questions about a previous blackout he had in 2010 or his medical history as he faces the prospect of a rare private prosecution led by the family of one of the victims, Jacqueline Morton.

The Daily Record FoI request revealed the DVLA handled 15,163 applications in 2014/15 for licences to drive HGVs and buses.

It found that 9,281 were approved despite medical conditions being declared while 769 were refused on medical grounds, mainly for conditions such as heart disease, strokes, vision problems and epilepsy.

A DVLA spokeswoman said: "Britain's roads are among the safest in the world and licensing rules play an important part in this.

"By law, all drivers must ensure that they are medically fit to drive and notify DVLA of the onset or worsening of a medical condition affecting this.

"Not every driver who tells us about a medical condition will lose their licence as we make medical judgements based on all the evidence given to us."

At the end of the bin lorry inquiry, Sheriff John Beckett, who oversaw the inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court, said: ''It may be the single most important outcome of inquiry could be to highlight the danger of driving with a medical condition that makes you unfit.''

He said he hoped that all bus, lorry and professional drivers will now ''reflect on their fitness to drive'' and inform the DVLA of health issues.

''It may be that the tragic events will motivate all drivers, doctors and employers of drivers to make themselves aware of the DVLA guidance,'' the Sheriff said.