The First Minister has been urged to preserve personal communications which could be relevant to a probe into the Scottish Government's handling of misconduct allegations against Alex Salmond.

A committee set up to look at what happened said she should keep both hard copy and electronic documents, including any personal communications such as email and mobile phone data.

The letter comes after Scotland's most senior civil servant, Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, told them Scottish Government computer systems automatically delete material not saved on to the corporate record system after a period of time.

Committee convener Linda Fabiani wrote to the First Minister after she pledged to answer to the "fullest extent possible" any questions regarding her involvement with a legal challenge her predecessor brought against the Scottish Government.

Salmond challenged the way sexual misconduct allegations had been handled, taking his case to the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

It ruled the process had been "unlawful" after it emerged the investigating officer had previous contact with the two women who made the allegations.

Following that ruling in January, Evans pledged an internal review of procedures within the Scottish Government would be carried out.

A separate investigation is also taking place to determine if Sturgeon breached the ministerial code in meetings and conversations with the former first minister before the court case.

MSPs on the committee have already agreed their investigations are to be put on hold until the conclusion of a court case against the former SNP leader.

He has been charged with 14 offences, including two of attempted rape. Salmond denies "absolutely these allegations of criminality".

Fabiani noted the "public commitment" the First Minister had made to "cooperate fully" with the committee inquiry.