Nicola Sturgeon’s husband has said he had no knowledge of complaints made against Alex Salmond before they were made public.

Peter Murrell, the Chief Executive of the SNP, said he was aware of meetings between Ms Sturgeon and Alex Salmond at the couple’s home months earlier but not about the details being discussed.

Mr Murrell responded to the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints request for information.

He told the committee in a letter that Ms Sturgeon told him she couldn’t discuss the details of the meeting with Mr Salmond.

Mr Murrell said: “I became aware that complaints had been made under the Scottish Government procedure when the matter became public in August 2018. I knew about the meetings between Nicola and Alex Salmond at our home on 2 April and 14 July 2018 and I had the sense that something serious was being discussed.

“Nicola told me she couldn’t discuss the details. The nature of Nicola’s job means that when she tells me she can’t discuss something, I don’t press it.”

He said there was no action taken by the SNP in relation to the complaints before the matter became public in August 2018.

He continued: “The only such discussions would have been after the matter became public in August 2018 and in relation to the Party’s response.”

He said meeting took place at their home but he did not take any part in them.

He added: “I was aware of meetings that took place at our home on 2 April and 14 July 2018, involving certain of the individuals listed. I was not present at these meetings and made no contribution to them.”