First Minister Alex Salmond has cast doubt on whether Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will be able to rule on the prisoner transfer request from Libya of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi.

Libyan authorities have applied for Megrahi to be moved to Libya under a treaty between that country and the UK. The process should be completed within 90 days.

However, Mr Salmond has said it may be a problem to fulfil the agreement in that time frame.

Mr Salmond said: "In the prisoner transfer agreement, it says this process would normally take 90 days but of course there are unknowns, including the judicial process in Scotland which is not completely under our control."

Meanwhile, a MSP has said Megrahi is in deteriorating health and "absolutely desperate" to see his family.

Christine Grahame, who met the Libyan in Greenock Prison on Friday, refused to say if he intends to abandon his appeal which is now underway in Edinburgh.

Ms Grahame, SNP MSP for South of Scotland, paid an hour-long visit to Megrahi in Greenock, where he is serving a life sentence for the 1988 bombing which killed 270 people.

She said: "I found it quite upsetting. The man is obviously very ill and he is desperate to see his family - absolutely desperate to see his family - so, whatever it takes, that's the priority."

She went on: "I am absolutely more convinced than ever that there has been a miscarriage of justice."

Asked if Megrahi plans to press on with his appeal, she said: "I can't say that - that is for him to say through his lawyers."

Megrahi was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.