A POLICE probe into allegations of sexual misconduct against Alex Salmond is examining a 20 month period which includes the independence referendum and its aftermath.

The force has asked the Government for the names and contact details of Mr Salmond’s private office staff between April 2013 and November 2014, the Herald on Sunday can reveal.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Our enquiries continue, we will not be commenting further."

It was revealed last month that two Government staff members had made sexual harassment complaints in January about Mr Salmond when he was in office.

In one of the cases, a woman accused Mr Salmond of multiple instances of harassment and unwanted sexual advances when he led the Government.

She alleged that Mr Salmond instructed her to move from a public room in his Bute House residence to his bedroom, where she said he kissed her and touched her sexually.

The former First Minister has denied ever sexually harassing anyone and has rejected any “semblance” of criminality in his behaviour.

After the allegations were investigated by the Scottish Government - a probe led by permanent secretary Leslie Evans - the findings were referred to Police Scotland.

The police carried out a preliminary assessment of the material which last week advanced to an investigation.

It can now be revealed that Police Scotland has asked the Government for information about Salmond’s former staffers, including politically-neutral civil servants in his private office and special advisers.

In a communication from a senior figure in the Government human relations team, recipients were told the police had made a request for data including their names, addresses and contact details.

The dates covered - April 1 2013 to November the following year - suggest the time period of the probe is long-reaching.

November 2014 was Mr Salmond’s final month in office, while April 2013 was months before the Scottish Government launched its White Paper on independence. The period also covered the entire referendum campaign.

The purpose of the police request is two fold: to understand the structure of Mr Salmond’s private office in Government; and to obtain contact details for anyone who the police may wish to speak to.

It is understood the communication assured the individuals of discretion and noted that the Government will cooperate with the force.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “For legal reasons the Scottish Government can make no further comment on the issues relating to Mr Salmond at this time.”

Mr Salmond's legal representative said: “We have had no contact from Police Scotland. However, we have already written to the Chief Constable making it clear that if they require in the future to speak to Mr Salmond on any matter our client will be happy to meet with his officers.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Lesley Boal, the force’s lead on Public Protection, was recently assigned to spearhead the Salmond probe.

After the allegations were leaked to a tabloid newspaper, Mr Salmond said he had met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on three occasions to discuss the Government probe.

Ms Sturgeon had no role in the examining the complaints, but has faced calls by opposition MSPs to provide details of the meetings.

She said she learned of the “fact” of the Government investigation in April from Mr Salmond, but declined to say if she spoke to her predecessor on the telephone or met him face-to-face.

Her latest transparency logs, which cover her official engagements, made no mention of a meeting with Mr Salmond between April and June.

Mr Salmond has also remained tight-lipped on the content of his meetings with his successor. He said recently: “I’m not going to reveal the private contents of conversations between me and Nicola Sturgeon.”

The former First Minister is furious over what he regards as the Government’s “unfair and unjust” internal probe and has criticised Ms Evans for her handling of the matter.

He has lodged a judicial review of the complaints process and raised over £100,000 from an online crowdfunder to contribute to his legal costs.

In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, the Scottish Government said it “has this afternoon formally notified the court of session of our intention to contest the judicial review being brought by Mr Salmond.

“As we have said previously, we are confident our processes are legally sound and we will vigorously defend our position. There are a number of inaccuracies in Mr Salmond’s public statements and we will address those matters in court.”

Meanwhile, in a separate development, it emerged last week that the Scottish Government is currently dealing with seven live cases of harassment and bullying inside its core departments.

Official figures also revealed there have been up to 41 such cases since 2013 in the government’s central directorates, which employ around 5200 people.

The government said there had been up to four cases in both 2013 and 2014, nine cases in 2015, ten in 2016, and seven in both 2017 and 2018.