Lawyers acting for the families of three bin lorry victims say they hope to receive government funding for a private prosecution against driver Harry Clarke.

Solicitors representing the families, who lost 18-year-old Erin McQuade and her grandparents Jack and Lorraine Sweeney in the Queen Street crash, say they are "confident" they will receive a favourable response to a request for funding "in the next few days".

The funding request was submitted alongside a Bill of Criminal letters, lodged with the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland last week as the first steps towards a private prosecution.

But lawyers admit that this is an "unusual" step.

In a statement, legal firm Gildeas - who have waved their fees and are working for the Sweeney and McQuade families on a "pro bono" basis - confirmed that they are not seeking to gather funds for the prosecution bid through crowd funding, as has been previously reported.

The legal team, led by solicitor Paul Kavanagh, confirmed last week that they had lodged a Bill of Criminal letters with the Lord Advocate, Frank Mulholland.

The Sweeney and McQuade families announced the decision to privately prosecute last month, after an inquiry into the bin lorry crash found that the incident might have been avoided if Clarke had not lied about his history of blackouts.

Family solicitor Mr Kavanagh said in a statement last night: "Numerous press reports last week suggested that should the government not fund the application for a private prosecution funds could be sought through crowd funding.

"For clarification all work undertaken by ourselves, senior and junior council and our Edinburgh agent Iain Paterson, has been undertaken on a pro bono basis.

"We and the family have not sought payment via any social network and have not contemplated such funding."

He added: "We have been in correspondence with the government for some weeks and have sent various detailed documents to them in support of our application.

"It is recognised that a Bill of Criminal Letters and the seeking of associated funding is however unusual and requires due consideration.

"We remain confident that we will receive a favourable response from them in the next few days."

Through solicitors, the family thanked the First Minister for the "continuing assistance offered to them" since the bin lorry crash which killed six on December 22, 2014.

They also have also been supported by the Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and Jackie Baillie MSP.

Clarke, 58, from Baillieston was unconscious when the lorry veered out of control also killing Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh and Jacqueline Morton, 51, and Stephenie Tait, 29, from Glasgow.

Sheriff John Beckett QC noted a number of precautions that might have prevented the tragedy and detailed recommendations in a determination following the fatal accident inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court that ended in August after weeks of evidence.

Many of the precautions related to Clarke's medical history.

They included: "For Mr Clarke, after fainting at the wheel of his bus on April 7 2010, to have refrained from continuing to drive buses and to have refrained from seeking further employment as a group two driver in the absence of his having told the truth to doctors and without having acted upon the advice which would have been forthcoming.

"And thereafter without making his relevant medical history known to Glasgow City Council to the extent required in its recruitment, appointment and promotion processes."

The sheriff suggested that it should be considered that the Crown Office should review policies which prevent or discourage prosecution for offences including giving false statements and withholding information.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The decision on whether to allow a private prosecution to proceed is for the High Court however before an application can be made to the Court, the Lord Advocate, Scotland's senior prosecutor, must be asked whether he agrees that the prosecution should go ahead.

"On the separate issue of an application for public funding towards a private prosecution, Scottish Ministers have received further information from lawyers acting on behalf of the families of the Glasgow Bin Lorry tragedy and will now consider this closely.”