The decision to delay making a call on expanding Heathrow Airport "will prove costly for Scotland", Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown has warned.

Proposals have been put forward to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport, with a final decision to be made by the end of 2015.

However, the UK Government has now announced the decision will not be made for a further six months.

Expansion plans at Heathrow were originally backed by the Airports Commission in July.

Mr Brown said the call to delay making a final decision was "disappointing".

"The UK Government has dragged its heels on the issue of airport expansion for decades, so it’s incredibly disappointing to find out this decision has been delayed by a further six months," he said.

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"With airport capacity in London at a premium, Scottish airports are already facing  heavy competition when it comes to securing landing slots. This delay only exacerbates the issue and increases the chances of frequency and capacity between Scotland and Heathrow in particular being diminished.

"Air links with London are crucial to the Scottish economy. Not only do they give businesses important access to global markets, but they also ensure that the significant numbers of inbound business passengers and tourists travelling through the London airports continue to have the option of connecting flights to Scotland.

"The report from the Airports Commission, published in July, recognised the importance of these connections between Scotland and London. It is now time for the UK Government to stop prevaricating and take action to secure these vital links.

"There is no doubt in my mind that this delay shows a blatant lack of leadership that will prove costly for Scotland."

(LM/MH)