HEALTH Secretary Alex Neil has survived a vote of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament.

He faced allegations he acted inappropriately over changes to mental health policy in Lanarkshire and the reversal of a decision to remove acute beds.

Labour brought the motion and was backed in the Scottish Parliament by Conservative, LibDem and Green MSPs.

Labour revealed emails they say show Mr Neil had intervened in the decision-making process after becoming Health Secretary, before stepping back and handing responsibility to his deputy, the public health minister, citing concerns over a "conflict of interest".

However, the SNP majority was enough to see the call defeated after First Minister, Alex Salmond, defended his Mr Neil.

A Labour health Spokesman, Neil Findlay, said: "We believe he has misled his constituents, we believe he has misled this Parliament."

Labour leader Johann Lamont said: "Alex Salmond admitted today that he had seen the crucial emails which prove that Alex Neil misled the people and Parliament of Scotland over his Monklands decision - yet he cleared him."

Mr Salmond, however, said: "It is not the case that ministers cannot make decisions that affect their constituents - of course they can make such decisions.

"Mr Neil went through the correct processes - when a specific question was raised about Monklands hospital he asked the advice of his officials."

The confidence motion was defeated by 67 votes to 57.