A BBC move to axe its Scottish director from its top team is a "backwards step" that undermines promises made by the broadcaster, the SNP’s culture secretary has claimed.

In the latest row between the BBC and the Scottish Government, Fiona Hyslop voiced "immediate and clear concerns" over the "disappointing" overhaul, and said a lack of consultation appeared to contradict assurances director general Lord Tony Hall offered to Holyrood in January.

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The BBC has announced that its Scottish director, Ken McQuarrie, along with his counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland, no longer have a place on its executive team with the posts replaced by a single "director of nations and regions", who they will report to.

The broadcaster has pledged that Scotland will still have a place at the "top table" and claimed the shake-up would enhance its offer to regional audiences, with Mr McQuarrie retaining a "crucial role".

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However, Ms Hyslop launched a blistering attack over the move, which surprised the Scottish Government and comes with discussions over a possible new "Scottish Six" news bulletin at a crucial stage. It emerged yesterday that Scottish Conservatives were "surprised" that party colleagues on a Tory-dominated Westminster committee recently gave proposals for an hour-long nightly Scottish replacement to the News at Six their backing.

The culture secretary said: "a loss of a distinct and representative voice from Scotland on the executive team is an unhelpful response to the political and social realities of devolution across the UK and one which so clearly counters the consensus that has emerged in Scotland around the requirement for greater and fairer representation across the operations of the BBC."

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Ms Hyslop, who said the Scottish Government had only been informed of the changes on the day they were publicly announced, added: "We would expect to have substantive consultation with the new director of nations but have yet to receive any guarantees about such consultation from the director general. This is especially disappointing given his assertion before the Scottish Parliament Culture and Education Committee, earlier in January, that he wanted the director of Scotland to have a ‘powerful voice in determining what the BBC does as a whole’. This decision appears to undermine that ambition."

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Relations between the SNP and BBC have been strained since the 2014 referendum, when hundreds of pro-independence activists took part in a protest against perceived bias and Alex Salmond became embroiled in a bitter public feud with then-political editor Nick Robertson. Ms Hyslop said she had requested a meeting with Mr MacQuarrie to discuss her concerns, however, senior BBC insiders insisted they were not aware of any approach.

Former SNP cabinet member Mike Russell, who received Ms Hyslop's statement in response to a parliamentary question, said it was clear she shared his concern that the Scottish director role was being "downgraded".

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He added: "Moreover, it looks like it shares concerns over the bad faith of the director general who made all sorts of commitments when he came to parliament. I hope the BBC will look again at this foolish decision."

The overhaul will see the BBC's trust board, executive board and executive team replaced by a unitary board and an executive committee. Under the structure, the new director of nations and regions will sit on the executive committee, which will be made up of BBC executives responsible for day-to-day running of the broadcaster. There will also be three non-executive directors for the nations, including one for Scotland, on the unitary board, which will be largely responsible for scrutiny.

A BBC spokesman said: "The new director of nations and regions role will bring together and enhance the BBC’s offer to the nations and regions of the UK. We have a clear commitment to better portray and represent Scotland to Scottish audiences and those across the UK. The role will give the nations and regions of the UK a voice at the top table."