NICOLA Sturgeon has said there are still "unanswered questions" about the UK Government's role in the bitter miners' strike of the 1980s.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government will continue to push for a UK-wide public inquiry into the dispute. 

It comes after it was announced hundreds of Scottish miners convicted during the 1984/85 strike will be pardoned. 

The move followed an independent review led by John Scott QC, which recommended introducing legislation to pardon those convicted for breach of the peace or similar offences.

Millions of people protested against pit closures during the industrial dispute with Margaret Thatcher's government.

In Scotland, around 14,000 miners went on strike and approximately 1,400 were arrested, with more than 500 convicted.

Around 200 were sacked, 30% of the total number of UK dismissals.

Campaigners said the convictions effectively "blacklisted" those taking part in the strike from future employment.

Speaking during First Minister's Questions, Ms Sturgeon said: "The miners' strike was one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in living memory, and I'm really glad and proud that the Scottish Government was able to take a small but important step yesterday in righting those wrongs and addressing the injustice that was suffered by so many miners and their families during that strike. 

"There are unanswered questions about the UK Government's role in the strike. 

"We will continue to press them to hold a full public inquiry which of course would include any allegations of political interference. 

"For our part, we initiated the independent review to ensure that the experiences of Scottish mining communities were fully understood. 

"We have an opportunity now to bring reconciliation to miners and to police officers and to try to heal the wounds of the past. 

"We will call upon the UK Government to adopt the same reconciliation approach in taking forward a UK-wide inquiry."

Ms Sturgeon was asked about the issue by SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who represents Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale. 

Ms Grahame said any UK inquiry must consider whether there was political interference in police operations, which saw "mounted police charging into miners democratically defending their jobs and communities".