A WEST Scotland MSP is leading calls for a 'mansion tax' to be included in the Scottish Government's next budget.

Ross Greer, the Scottish Greens' finance spokesperson, wants to see a new band of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, set at 15per cent for the purchase of homes costing over £1 million.

Currently, the top rate of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax for residential properties is 12% on £750,000 and above.

The Scottish Greens are proposing a new 12 per cent rate starting at £650,000 and a 15 per cent rate from £1 million.

Mr Greer said: “Fourteen years of Tory cuts have left Scotland’s budget in a dire state. Sadly, the new Labour government shows every sign of going further and deeper with their own cuts to public services.

"We must use every tool available to us here in Scotland to protect people and planet from the damage these budget cuts would do.

“A mansion tax on the biggest and most luxurious houses is one of many ways we can raise more money to support services like the NHS while only impacting the very wealthiest people.

“There is more than enough wealth in Scotland to end child poverty tomorrow, but far too much of it is in the hands of a very small number of extremely rich people and big companies.

"The powers needed to tax them fairly mostly sit at Westminster rather than Holyrood, but we can use tools like Scottish property taxes to make sure the richest people in society pay a bit more when they are buying a new house."