NICOLA Sturgeon has said she will be haunted for the rest of her life by the way in which the Scottish Government "let down" women who complained about Alex Salmond.
The First Minister made the comments as she was challenged by the Scottish Conservatives over legal advice received during Mr Salmond's judicial review.
It was published following pressure from MSPs and showed a series of increasingly desperate warnings from lawyers that the Government was likely to lose the legal fight.
READ MORE: Sturgeon Government 'discounted' advice to concede legal fight with Salmond
Scottish Conservative Holyrood leader Ruth Davidson noted the papers showed that on December 17, 2018, the Government's senior lawyer Roddy Dunlop QC had "warned the First Minister personally against 'ploughing on regardless' because of a large expenses bill which would inevitably rise".
The Scottish Government conceded the judicial review almost a month later on January 8 2019, with Mr Salmond awarded a pay-out of more than £500,000 at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Speaking during First Minister's Questions, Ms Davidson said: "We have since learned that from the moment Roddy Dunlop wrote that note on December 17 to the time when the Government finally conceded, the bill exceeded £100,000.
"Perhaps even £200,000, but we don't know for sure because the Government won't tell us their side of the bill."
She said recent claims relating to an SNP MP have shown again "that sexual harassment complainants cannot trust the ruling party to deal with a complaint properly".
Patrick Grady has stepped aside as SNP chief whip while the party investigates a harassment allegation made against him.
Ms Sturgeon said all of the "substantive legal advice" has been published and is available on the Scottish Government's website, "warts and all".
She said it is "undeniably the case" that the Government made mistakes and it is determined to learn from these.
READ MORE: John Swinney survives vote of no confidence in Holyrood
The First Minister said: "Ruth Davidson, perhaps belatedly over recent days, has started to talk about the women and I welcome that.
"Because that is the issue right at the heart of this.
"I will be haunted for probably the rest of my life about the way in which the government, through an error - an error made, I think, in good faith, but nevertheless an error - let down those women.
"I've apologised for that. I wasn't involved in the investigation so I wasn't aware of the error at the time, but as head of the Scottish Government I take and I feel responsibility for that."
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