MSPs were today set a 30-day deadline for providing details of any relative they employ.

New rules on MSP expenses which came into effect today require the MSPs to register details of employed relatives by the end of this month.

The requirement applies to husbands, wives, civil partners and cohabitees, as well as family members like parents, children, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces.

It would not however apply to MSPs employing relatives of other MSPs.

The register is expected to be published next month.

Other rules on MSP expenses coming into effect today include an end to new claims under the controversial Edinburgh accommodation allowance.

The scheme, which allows out-of-town MSPs to buy homes in the capital with the public footing the bill for their mortgage interest payments, is to be scrapped in 2011, and no new claims will be accepted from today.

The new rules follow a review of MSPs' allowances by Sir Alan Langlands which reported in March.

His recommendations were later backed by Parliament - except for one which proposed a maximum salary of £62,000 for staff of constituency MSPs but only £45,000 for staff employed by list MSPs.

After protests that this would create a two-tier system, MSPs agreed to split the difference and set a limit of £54,620 for both.

Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson said: "The new scheme has the benefits of being less bureaucratic and more transparent, reflecting the public's continuing support for a system based on openness and accountability for which this Parliament has an excellent reputation."