Ms Constance said the costs over the investigation of Sheriff Jack Brown, who behaved inappropriately towards a female lawyer, would remain undisclosed until the probe had concluded.

Sheriff Brown kept his job after a judge ruled that a tribunal had failed to consider evidence from other complainers – resulting in a second tribunal being ordered last year.

Sheriff Brown remains suspended in the interim, on a salary of £160,000 a year. The cost to the taxpayer of his suspension, which was imposed in 2018, has reached almost £800,000.

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: “Taxpayers have already been stung for a huge and growing sum of money to pay this suspended sheriff’s eye-watering wages. They should also be entitled to know how much extra his lawyers are costing us.

“With the justice system on its knees due to SNP cuts, this is the latest scandalous example of public money being wasted – made worse by unnecessary secrecy.”

He had asked the Scottish government “whether it will provide the full details of any payments that it has reportedly made towards the legal costs of Sheriff Jack Brown in relation to fitness for judicial office tribunal proceedings”.

Ms Constance replied: “Sheriff Jack Brown is subject to ongoing Fitness for Judicial Office Tribunal proceedings. Under the Court Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, Scottish ministers are obliged to pay such expenses as they consider are reasonably required to be incurred to enable a tribunal to carry out its functions.

“The Scottish government will publish costs of the tribunal at the conclusion of the proceedings.”

A government spokesman said: “Despite difficult financial circumstances due to UK government cuts, we are investing almost £3.4 billion across the justice system in 2023-24.”

SLN understands that the tribunal examining the allegations against Sheriff Brown will resume in January.