Alex Salmond has asked for a one month delay before he gives evidence to the Holyrood inquiry.
The former First Minister, who has accused Nicola Sturgeon of misleading Parliament, suggested February 16 as a date for addressing MSPs.
A Holyrood committee is examining how the Scottish Government mishandled sexual misconduct complaints against the former First Minister.
Salmond pursued a judicial review and it was accepted the internal Government probe had been unlawful.
The debacle cost the taxpayer over £500,000 and ended the friendship between Sturgeon and Salmond, whose allies believe he was targeted by the Government and SNP figures.
A central issue covers meetings between Salmond and Sturgeon at her home during the 2018 Government investigation.
In a submission shared with the inquiry recently, Salmond accused his successor of breaching the ministerial code in relation to the contacts.
The inquiry is keen for Salmond to give evidence in person and invited him to do so next week.
However, a letter from Salmond’s lawyer David McKie makes clear the Nationalist heavyweight’s preference is for next month.
He wrote: “Our client cannot accept your invitation to attend your Committee in person next week. He remains willing to attend and give evidence, however.
“As we understand it the Presiding Officer has advised against all in-person Committee Meetings on health and safety grounds. Our client feels very strongly that it would send a very bad message to the rest of the country if he were to flout that, particularly at a time when the present First Minister is set to further tighten restrictions on everyone else.
“According to widespread reports in today’s press it is clear that the remote Committee format had very substantial difficulties and we cannot imagine any disagreement between us that it would not be at all suitable for a significant evidence session.”
McKie repeated his client’s view that he should be able to "discharge his oath" in front of the Committee without “fear of prosecution by the Crown Office”.
He added: “It is therefore not fair to our client or indeed to the public to expect our client to give evidence in such circumstances and until such issues have been exhausted in full.
“On the premise that our client gives evidence in a month’s time, that is more than an adequate period to enable you to seek its recovery.”
He added: “Our client understands your anxiety to finish your hearings and therefore can we suggest Tuesday 16th February (in principle at this stage) for an in-person evidence session.”
