A former Scottish Government minister has been chosen to head up the probe into misconduct allegations against Alex Salmond.

Linda Fabiani, who is currently deputy presiding officer at Holyrood, was selected as committee convener, despite objections from Labour and the Conservatives.

The committee will investigate how misconduct allegations against the former first minister were handled.

It met for the first time on Wednesday for a short session in which members agreed to put its work on hold until the conclusion of a court case against Mr Salmond.

MSPs on the new committee will meet again within the next few weeks, but they ruled their inquiry into what happened will not take place until after the criminal case is complete.

The former SNP leader appeared in court in Edinburgh in January charged with 14 offences, including two of attempted rape, but insisted afterwards that he refutes "absolutely these allegations of criminality".

On Ms Fabiani's appointment, Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: "The issue at hand is whether the party of government should be able to appoint the convener of this committee.

"It is clearly unprecedented that a committee of this Parliament is handling complaints against a former first minister and the actions of the current First Minister, both of whom were the leader and are the leader of the SNP. I think that places SNP members in a really quite difficult position.

"But my primary concern is one of transparency for this committee in order to do its work, and the question of perception is all in politics and the perception, unfortunately, is that the party of government is actually appointing the convener of this committee.

"I think this committee needs to set off on entirely the right foot without fear or favour and for that reason I would ask the committee to think carefully about whether it is indeed the SNP that should have the convenership of the committee."

Tory MSP Donald Cameron similarly asked SNP MSPs "even at this late stage, to reconsider and offer the convenership to another party".

He said: "If ever there was a moment for justice to be done and for justice to be seen to be done, then this it is."

Ms Fabiani pledged as committee convener she would be "as open and transparent as possible".