The health secretary has defended her decision to close the Royal Alexandra Hospital's children's ward amid criticism from opposition MSPs.

Shona Robison told MSPs on Tuesday there was a "compelling case" to move paediatric care from Paisley to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Opposition MSPs accused the SNP of betraying parents after the First Minister said there was "no proposals to close that particular ward" and she believed "in local services for local people" during an election debate in 2016.

The plans were proposed by the Greater Glasgow & Clyde health board but Robison had the final say over the matter.

She told MSPs: "I gave long and hard consideration to this proposal, and it has been one of the most difficult that I have been required to make in my time as health secretary.

"I have carefully considered all of the information available to me, and all of the representations made to me including the board's submissions, advice and evidence provided by officials and expert clinical advice.

"The board has made a compelling case for these proposals which have attracted overwhelming clinical support."

Conservative MSP Miles Briggs said the decision will be Sturgeon's "Nick Clegg moment", a reference to the former deputy prime minister's decision to back tripling English university tuition fees after previously promising to scrap them.

"It's more evidence that the SNP simply can't be trusted when it comes to maintaining children's hospital facilities," he added.

Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said the decision is the result of SNP cuts but not a single one of the party's MSPs have "the backbone to call it out for what it is".

He said: "This is a betrayal of local people."