AN MP’s Scottish accent has again led to something of a breakdown in communication in the Commons chamber.

The SNP's David Linden, who represents Glasgow East, dutifully asked about improvements to disability access during House of Commons Commission questions.

But, representing the House authority, former minister Sir Paul Beresford looked puzzled as his brow furrowed.

Twice the Surrey MP asked Mr Linden to repeat himself because he could not understand what he had said.

Conservative Sir Paul, 72, who holds dual New Zealand and British citizenship, told him: "I'm sorry, it must be something to do with my antipodean background. Could you please repeat the question because I didn't follow it?"

Laughter broke out on the green benches as an "oh wow" emanated from the SNP contingent.

Mr Linden despondently noted: "Oh well, I'm very popular today." He then helpfully repeated the question at a slower pace.

But Sir Paul still did not catch on and struggled to understand the refined East End accent and politely asked again for Mr Linden to repeat it once again but this time "more slowly and in antipodean English".

The Deputy Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, intervened and suggested in his thick Lancastrian twang: “The answer might be helped if he can reply in writing."

Mr Linden gracefully accepted defeat and resorted to sign language across the chamber to confirm to Sir Paul that he would indeed write to his parliamentary colleague.

The 28-year-old politician is not the first Scottish MP to have difficulties making himself understood.

Last year, his SNP colleague Alan Brown, who represents Kilmarnock and Loudoun, revealed ministers had so much trouble understanding his fine Ayrshire tones that he rarely received direct answers to his questions when he spoke in the chamber.

Reporters at Hansard, the official verbatim report of Parliament, struggle with the same problem and pass notes to the SNP backbencher asking him to write out what he said whenever he rises to speak.

Mr Brown explained how the issue has become "a running joke" with colleagues and that, whenever he rose to speak, he noticed the minster due to respond sinks back into their green leather bench and put their ear right up against the speaker embedded in it.

The parliamentary sketch writers are also known to scratch their heads when the backbencher is speaking.

"Sometimes,” said Mr Brown, “Hansard ask what other people say but I make the joke that they must have an Ayrshire translator in now but the Ayrshire translator doesn't understand my colleagues."