The Scottish FA's chief operating officer has admitted players may be registered with illegal contracts paying less than the national minimum wage.

Andrew McKinlay and SPFL chief Neil Doncaster appeared before the Scottish Parliament's public petitions committee to give evidence on youth football contracts to MSPs.

In March, St Mirren had to pay a former player Kieran Dornan £1200 in compensation after signing him on contract paying just £1 per week in 2012.

McKinlay admitted to the Scottish FA's player registration system may have illegal contracts approved by it.

The Scottish FA uses an electronic registration scheme called the Transfer Matching System in which clubs provide contract details through an online system.

The electronic form will not process correctly if club officials assign players without a salary but it will be approved if they state a salary of £1 per week, even if that breaks national minimum wage legislation.

McKinlay told the committee: "All I would say is we, the Scottish FA, register players - the registration team, which is a team made up of three individuals."

He added: "To date this year they have processed 18,000 transactions. They do not consider the terms of the contracts, so I just want to make that clear. I was not aware of that issue."

Committee convener Johann Lamont asked McKinlay to clarify if clubs "could register someone with a contract that is illegal".

McKinlay admitted "under the registration system you can, yes."

Despite the scheme unable to flag up illegality, McKinlay said there are no immediate plans to change the registration process.

Any change to the system would have approved by a vote of member clubs.

Doncaster said SPFL member clubs must pay the national minimum wage but the registration of contracts was not a matter for his organisation and instead was one for the Scottish FA.

He told MSPs: "Please be in no doubt all clubs are bound by NMW legislation and we will investigate any allegations that are made against our clubs".