High-pressure equipment is used to clean the gum

Scottish National Party MP Pete Wishart is calling for a levy of two pence a packet to be imposed on sweet manufacturers.

He wants the money raised to be given to councils to pay clean-up costs.

In a Commons motion, he described the problem as "disgusting" and said it "blights" every town and city.

Mr Wishart, MP for North Tayside, is also calling on sweet firms to do more to ensure their gum is "fully bio-degradable and non-adhesive".

Several councils in Scotland are behind the introduction of a chewing gum tax including Aberdeen, West Lothian and Edinburgh.

'Practical measure'

Mr Wishart said: "This is an issue that needs to be properly chewed over by the chancellor.

"Several Scottish councils have quite sensibly asked Gordon Brown to introduce a levy on the chewing gum manufacturers, so that for every packet of chewing gum bought a couple of pence is taken in the form of a levy.

"This strikes me as a practical measure that would help councils deal with the disgusting mess of discarded chewing gum."

He added: "Councils can spend tens of thousands of pounds in an attempt to clear up this mess, only to find that within days the pavements are once again covered.