Deputy Justice Minister Dr Richard Simpson told MSPs that juvenile courts in England had been "a disaster".

His views seemed to be at odds with First Minister Jack McConnell who last month said he was considering special fast-track hearings for vandals and other persistent teenage offenders.

Opposition parties seized on the split in Labour ranks with Tory leader David McLetchie claiming the party's policy on youth crime was in "total disarray".

These comments just show that we have an executive which doesn't know whether it's coming or going

Tory leader David McLetchie

Dr Simpson was defending Scotland's children's hearing system in a debate in the Scottish Parliament when he made the comments.

He told MSPs: "An alternative might be juvenile courts, but I have to say to my Conservative colleagues that the juvenile court system in England is a disaster.

"Even with fast-tracking it is an absolute disaster," he said.

He said that people in England "look with considerable envy" on Scotland's children's hearing system.

The first minister said last month that the idea of setting up fast-track youth courts, similar to Scotland's new drugs courts, was "worth investigating".

Labour insiders have said that the current children's hearings system has a "social work ethos" and is too soft on yobs.

However, Dr Simpson told the Scottish Parliament on Thursday: "To suggest that courts are going to be the solution is not the answer."

'Effective' measures

A spokeswoman for the executive later said Dr Simpson was keen to "clarify" the comments he had made and denied he had criticised England's juvenile courts.

The spokeswoman said Dr Simpson wanted to see "effective" sentences available for courts to hand down, allied to possible fast-tracking of young offenders.

She added: "We need to look at providing a Scottish solution to tackling youth crime in this country which would work within our distinct legal system and build and strengthen our unique children's hearing system."

Earlier this year, the executive proposed extending the children's hearing system to deal with some 16 and 17-year-old offenders.

Dr Richard Simpson: "Disaster"

But the Tory leader David McLetchie claimed that the executive's policies on youth crime were in total disarray.

He said: "These comments just show that we have an executive which doesn't know whether it's coming or going.

"We now have deputy justice ministers denying the first minister's own pet policy. They haven't got a clue what to do to tackle the problem."

Scottish National Party justice spokeswoman Roseanna Cunningham said: "He is repudiating what his own first minister thinks is a good idea."