SCOTLAND'S top civil servant and the head of the police's phone-hacking investigation have been asked to reveal whether Scottish Government phones were hacked.

First Minister Alex Salmond has so far refused to bow to pressure from opposition parties to reveal whether his phone has been hacked.

He has pledged to answer questions on the matter when he appears before the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics next month.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, yesterday repeated accusations that Mr Salmond was showing contempt for Holyrood by rebuffing MSPs' questions.

He has now written to the Scottish Permanent Secretary, Sir Peter Housden, and Detective Superintendent John McSporran, head of the phone-hacking investigation dubbed Operation Rubicon, requesting urgent answers.

Mr Rennie said: "Alex Salmond seems to be more interested in grandstanding at the Leveson Inquiry than addressing serious concerns about the potential impact on Government business of his phone being hacked."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The Permanent Secretary will of course consider Mr Rennie's letter on receipt."