THE UK Government made a loss from North Sea oil and gas during the first six months of the financial year in official figures which highlight the dramatic impact of falling prices and production.

Revenues were more than cancelled out by repayments to producers between April and September, leaving the Government's North Sea accounts £39million in the red, the HMRC figures show.

It is thought to be the first time the UK has recorded a loss over a six month period since the North Sea oil industry became established 40 years ago.

Conservative and Labour MSPs linked the figures to the ongoing debate over Scotland's constitutional future, arguing they demonstrated the economic security of remaining part of the UK.

SNP energy minister Fergus Ewing insisted production was beginning to improve and, with the right support, the industry could "prosper for many decades to come".

The figures were revealed in HMRC's latest tax and National Insurance receipts bulletin.

Government officials said the North Sea accounts showed a loss because of the timing of corporation tax payments, which are mainly due later in the year.

The Government collected £248million in corporation tax and petroleum revenue tax in the first six months of the year but paid out £287million in rebates to producers hit by the downturn.

Over the whole of the financial year 2015/16, the UK is forecast to earn £700million from the North Sea, according to the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.

However, the six month deficit provided a striking illustration of the impact of falling global prices which have collapsed from around 110 dollars per barrel in the middle of last year to just under 50 dollars.

A senior Conservative government source said the figures showed ministers were backing the industry.

The source said: "Earlier this year we introduced a multi-billion pound package of support to increase production, extend the life of existing oil fields and create and protect jobs.

"Once again this demonstrates the benefit of pooling resources and sharing risks across the UK, and how the UK and Scottish Government working together can best support one of our major sectors in the years decades ahead."

Opposition politicians at Holyrood claimed the figures further undermined the SNP's case for independence or its "stepping stone" policy of full fiscal autonomy.

Labour's Jackie Baillie called on the SNP to be "transparent about Scotland's finances".

Alex Johnstone, the Scots Tory MSP, said: "It was little more than a year ago that the SNP was brushing aside all the evidence to insist that North Sea oil revenues would help pay for schools, hospitals and benefits in an independent Scotland.

"That deception has now been utterly exposed and it is high time the SNP apologised for their deliberate attempt to do so."

The Scottish Government has downgraded its own oil forecasts since basing its independence White Paper on a price of 113 dollars per barrel.

Earlier this year, the OBR downgraded it forecast for North Sea revenues over the next five years by £9.6billion, predicting some of the lowest figures since the early days of the industry in the mid-1970s.

The budget watchdog has also slashed its long-term forecast by 94 per cent, estimating that a total of £2.1billion will be raised in the 20 years to 2040-41.

Mr Ewing said: "The oil and gas industry, supported by the Scottish Government, is taking action to increase efficiency and reduce the cost base, which is also critical to safeguarding future production, both from new and already producing fields.

"The fiscal reforms from the UK Government, which the Scottish Government has long called for, will encourage additional production and investment that will boost government revenues in the coming years."