The relatives of three victims of the Glasgow bin lorry crash will be given legal aid from the Scottish Government in their bid to privately prosecute the driver.

It was also revealed driver Harry Clarke, who was behind the wheel of the vehicle when it careered down Queen Street and killed six people, will receive legal aid from the government.

Lawyers for the family of victims Jack and Lorraine Sweeney and their granddaughter, Erin McQuade, submitted the Bill for Criminal at the High Court in Edinburgh in January.

It came a week after they were dealt a major setback when the Crown Office confirmed it would not grant approval to the plans as lord advocate Frank Mulholland declined to support the prosecution.

But justice secretary Michael Matheson confirmed on Wednesday that the victims' relatives would receive legal aid in the case.

Mr Matheson said: "Private prosecutions are, and should remain, exceptionally rare in Scotland. However, in light of the unique and special circumstances of this case, which raises fundamental questions that have not previously been tested in case law, Scottish ministers believe it is in the public interest that all parties are adequately represented.

"As such, ministers have agreed to make legal aid available for the families of the bin lorry tragedy.

"In line with human rights requirements that anybody facing potential criminal prosecution must be legally represented, legal aid will also be made available to the driver of the bin lorry, Mr Clarke, and to Mr Payne in relation to another potential private prosecution in separate case.

"The issue of whether there are exceptional circumstances to justify a private prosecution is a matter for the High Court alone and do not form part of this legal aid decision.

"Responsibility for deciding whether or not to prosecute an alleged criminal case in Scotland rests clearly with the Crown Office which has a strong record in prosecuting crime.

"The determination is not being made on the basis that ministers agree that there was any error in law in the decision by the Crown.

"The lord advocate has set out publicly the basis for the decision not to progress a prosecution following the bin lorry tragedy."

Stephenie Tait, Jacqueline Morton and Gillian Ewing also died when the bin lorry driven by Mr Clarke went out of control in Queen Street in December 2014.

A fatal accident inquiry held last year heard he lost consciousness at the wheel and that he had a history of health issues - including a previous blackout in 2010 when at the wheel of a stationary bus - but had not disclosed his medical background to his employers or the DVLA.

The Crown Office has consistently said there is insufficient evidence in law to raise criminal proceedings against Mr Clarke.