A call by a House of Lords Committee for Britain to clamp down on immigration was yesterday rejected by Alex Salmond.

The peers dismissed UK Government claims that immigrants had helped boost the UK economy, insisting there had been "little or no impact" on economic well-being.

The Lords' all-party Economic Affairs Committee includes several former ministers and concluded that some low-paid, ethnic minorities or youngsters may have suffered because of competition from immigrants.

But a spokesman for the First Minister pointed to comments by Mr Salmond at the weekend supporting immigration.

"We have a different attitude towards the question, particularly of skills and immigration," said Mr Salmond.

"We've had an advantage of having the ability for people studying, overseas students, studying at universities, to work for two years unhindered in the Scottish economy."

This had been important for industries such as the financial sector, he said, adding: "We'd like to enhance that advantage.

"We're being stopped currently by the Home Office because they have a different view for different circumstances, so there's an example of where it suits Scotland to have more responsibility over immigration policy."