EMBATTLED Health Secretary Alex Neil is facing a rare motion of no confidence at Holyrood following complaints about his involvement in controversial changes to mental health services in his own constituency.

Labour made the direct challenge a week after accusing the senior SNP politician of misleading parliament over plans to remove acute mental health beds at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie and Shotts in 2012.

The party revealed emails they say shows 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".

Labour MSP Neil Findlay, who lodged the motion, said: "Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Alex Neil and Alex Salmond continue to blindly claim that no wrongdoing has taken place with the health secretary's involvement in mental health services at NHS Lanarkshire.

"Nearly a week after these damning emails were released under Freedom of Information, Alex Neil's explanation as to why he meddled in local services and then claimed he had excused himself from the decision have not been satisfactory.

"Medical experts stated that keeping Monklands wards open would result in a 'less than optimal service' for patients.

"Yet Alex Neil has been unable to provide any clear rationale or evidence for changing the decision, which is contrary to his own health policy of delivering health services in communities wherever possible.

"His failure to come up with answers to the questions being asked of him mean he is not fit to be running our health service."

The motion of no confidence will be debated by MSPs this afternoon.