Scottish Parliament

Alex Salmond told MSPs that the Strathclyde Police inquiry into phone hacking could be compromised by any inquiry held by a Holyrood committee, during first minister's questions on 2 May 2012.

He was responding to questions from Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont.

Ms Lamont said the first minister's relationship with Rupert Murdoch was preventing any real scrutiny of News International's dealings in Scotland.

She called for a "proper inquiry" in Scotland and accused Mr Salmond of blocking the inquiry into his "old friend" Rupert Murdoch.

The first minister hit back saying a police inquiry took precedence and that the Leveson inquiry was cross party, cross border and its frame of reference had been agreed with the Scottish government.

Mr Salmond also confirmed he would be giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry into media standards next month.

He said the phone hacking had occurred when Labour were in power at Holyrood and Westminster, and he added people would not forget Labour's "15 year association with News International".

Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, pressed Mr Salmond to answer whether his phone had been hacked, saying to delay answering this until his appearance before the Leveson inquiry would be "media manipulation of the worst kind".

Mr Salmond said the Leveson inquiry was where he would give his evidence "under oath".

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Willie Rennie, also called on the first minister to reveal whether or not he had been hacked asking when he had switched from being a "Celtic lion to a Celtic mouse" by not having an inquiry in Scotland.

In reply, Mr Salmond pointed out that all parties had agreed that the Leveson inquiry had been the correct route.