THE Holyrood inquiry into the Alex Salmond affair has written to Nicola Sturgeon's husband seeking "further clarification" on evidence he provided.

Peter Murrell, the chief executive of the SNP, appeared before the committee earlier this month, where he denied being part of a plot to bring down the former first minister.

However apparent inconsistencies in his evidence were later seized on by critics. 

Now SNP MSP Linda Fabiani, convener of the Holyrood committee, has written to Mr Murrell requesting more information. 

Her letter covers four areas. 

The first is Mr Murrell's awareness of a meeting between Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon in the First Minister's home on April 2, 2018.

Mr Murrell gave conflicting evidence about when he was aware Mr Salmond was coming to the house. 

He also said he was not present, but later added that he arrived home “not long before the meeting ended” but did not join it.

Elsewhere, Ms Fabiani said the committee wanted further clarification around Mr Murrell's understanding of the nature of the meeting.

He previously told MSPs that he had asked Ms Sturgeon afterwards whether it related to a Sky News query in 2017 about alleged inappropriate behaviour by Mr Salmond at Edinburgh Airport.

Ms Fabiani wrote: "Given the time that had elapsed between the Sky News enquiry and the meeting in April, and that you had not been in contact with Mr Salmond in that time, the committee seeks insight as to why you considered it possible that the meeting related to the Sky News story. 

"The committee also seeks insight as to why the Sky News story would be the basis for a meeting that you may have considered most likely to be a Government matter.

"To inform the session with the First Minister, it would be useful to establish whether you assumed the meeting was a Government matter before it happened and whether you continued to assume so after the meeting took place."

Ms Fabiani also asked Mr Murrell to confirm whether he has used WhatsApp or other messaging services in the past to discuss any concerns relating to Mr Salmond.

Mr Murrell previously told the committee he did not use WhatsApp. 

It later emerged he had the app on his phone. but he said he still did not use it.

Finally, Mr Murrell has been asked for clarification on when he became aware of allegations about Mr Salmond's behaviour in London.

Mr Murrell has been asked to respond to the committee by January 13.

The cross-party inquiry is examining how the Scottish Government botched a probe into sexual misconduct claims made against Mr Salmond in 2018.

Mr Salmond had the exercise set aside in a judicial review after the Government conceded it was "tainted by apparent bias", a flaw that left taxpayers with a £512,000 bill for his costs.

Shortly after his civil case victory, the former first minister was charged with sexual assault in January 2019, leading to a criminal trial and acquittal on all counts in March this year.

Giving evidence earlier this month, Mr Murrell said it wasn't true that text messages he sent apparently urging police and prosecution action against Mr Salmond were evidence of a conspiracy.

The messages are seen by Mr Salmond's supporters as evidence of a high-level plot to stop him making a comeback and rivalling his successor.