Seven suspected illegal foreign workers have been arrested on the Queensferry Crossing.

The Home Office immigration team led a raid on the £1.3bn replacement bridge project over the Firth of Forth on Monday.

The seven workers, who are from India, were employed through a sub-contractor.

Project contractor Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) said it had co-operated fully with the investigation.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Immigration Enforcement officers carried out an operation at a construction site at Builyeon Road, South Queensferry, on Monday as part of an investigation into illegal working.

"Seven Indian nationals were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences. The investigation is ongoing."

Scotland's cabinet secretary for the economy, Keith Brown, said he had written to Home Office Minister Robert Goodwill to "seek reassurance" over the plans in place to address the issue of illegal foreign workers.

"It's important that the construction industry can responsibly provide the correct resource to support the delivery of our pipeline of Infrastructure projects," he said.

"Across our projects, contractors have assured us that they carry out all business and operations in such a manner as to fully comply with and meet all legislative requirements, including all relevant employment laws.

"As such, it is standard policy to carry out checks to ensure that all direct employees and staff have the necessary and valid credentials as is required for them to be legitimately employed prior to their appointment.

"We have also received assurance that it is also a requirement that second tier subcontractors also meet these obligations."

Mr Brown said it would be inappropriate to comment further while an investigation was ongoing.