The number of school nurses in Scotland has dropped by almost one-third despite an election pledge by the SNP to double the figure, it was revealed today.

Official figures showed the number dropped from 305 to 221 between September 2005 and 2007.

Labour, which was in power in Scotland until May last year, said the government had broken its promise.

Dr Richard Simpson, Labour public health spokesman, said: "The SNP have broken yet another manifesto promise - their 2007 manifesto promised to double the number of school nurses." He added: "School nurses will be in the frontline of delivering the new HPV vaccine to protect Scotland's young women from cervical cancer, and so this drop in numbers could not come at a worse time."

He called on Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon to come to parliament and explain how the target on school nurses is going to be met.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "There is no question of breaking our manifesto pledge. The figures relate to September 2007 just four months after the election."