The Scottish Government is to publish details of what was said in the controversial meeting in Greenock Prison between Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi.

The notes and "all relevant information" on the applications for prisoner transfer and compassionate release made by Megrahi and other related material will be made public before a debate in the Scottish Parliament next Wednesday.

The promise was made as opposition parties piled pressure on Mr MacAskill to reveal details of what took place in the face-to-face confrontation and other unanswered questions detailed in yesterday's Herald.

Labour leader Iain Gray said Mr MacAskill was "duty bound" to publish the information and that there was nothing to stop him doing so.

Mr Gray said: "We need to know what he said to Megrahi and what advice he got about such a meeting. He also owes it to the American families to publish notes of their discussions.

"So far he has dodged answering key questions. If Kenny MacAskill has real compassion for the victims of Lockerbie and the pain and anger it has caused he will come clean over the whole process." A spokesperson for Mr MacAskill said he would be "very pleased to publish all relevant information", including the prison meeting.

He said the disclosure of the information "would demonstrate that in rejecting prisoner transfer and granting compassionate release, the Justice Secretary made the right decisions for the right reasons".

He added: "We are now seeking the necessary permissions to publish information, including from the UK Government.

"Indeed, the only obstacle to publishing material has come from the UK Labour government, who previously failed to grant permission to publish their communications to us regarding the prisoner transfer agreement, and we hope that they will now support disclosure.

"However, we will certainly publish all the information we are in a position to in a combined, comprehensive fashion, and will do so in advance of next Wednesday's debate."

Both Labour and the Tories are also questioning Mr MacAskill's interpretation of the medical advice suggesting Megrahi has three months to live.

Tory MSP Bill Aitken said: "There seems to be a contradiction at the heart of the SNP's case. According to the Medical Officer, no specialist would be willing to say whether Mr Megrahi's life expectancy was three months or less, yet an unnamed individual in the report says it is three months.

"In June and July, there was a consensus on prognosis of eight months. Where is that consensus now?"

Mr Aitken also challenged Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon on her claims yesterday that "the parole board and medical experts" recommended release.

He said: "The Medical Officer doesn't, so where is her proof? We only have the opinion of one anonymous individual, not the range of medical experts promised by the Health Secretary.

"Day by day more questions arise, not only about the foundation of the case for release, the three-months prognosis, but the SNP's dismissal of keeping Megrahi in Scotland."

Labour MSP Dr Richard Simpson, who specialised in prostate disease research, claimed there was "significant doubt" over whether Megrahi's predicted survival met the guidance for release on compassionate grounds.

He said that according to the medical report, specialists consulted in July "were not willing to say" his prognosis was less than three months.

The government chose to disregard this advice and listened to "just one doctor whose status is not clear and who is not named", he said.

Dr Simpson added: "It is clear to me from the medical reports and the opinion of the specialists that Megrahi could live for many more months."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The medical advice before the Justice Secretary consisted of a report from the Scottish Prison Service Director of Health and Care, who had access to all Mr Al Megrahi's medical records.

"Taking all the medical advice into account, the director's view is that the clinical assessment is that a three month prognosis is now a reasonable estimate for this patient."

"It was on that clear medical advice and a recommendation from the governor and the parole board that Mr al Megrahi be released on compassionate grounds that the Justice Secretary based his decision."

There's was further backing for Mr MacAskill in a poll of lawyers by the Scottish Legal News journal.

A total of 424 lawyers responded to the survey, with two-thirds agreeing with the Justice Secretary's decision.