Opposition parties have called on first minister Jack McConnell to explain his involvement in the apparent leaking of a financial package to assist Scottish Opera.

The Sunday Herald reported that ministers will allocate £5 million to bail-out the company.

Significant reforms would be included in the package, such as chorus members working part-time and control of the Opera's Glasgow base, the Theatre Royal, being transferred.

Conservatives and Scottish Nationalists have claimed that the figures were included in a confidential report.

Scottish Opera chairman Christopher Barron accused the first minister of involvement in the leak.

"The article was the result of a direct leak from the executive in which clearly the first minister has been involved," he wrote in a letter to staff.

"It contains very specific new information which directly affects staff.

"I regret greatly this leaking as it only increases speculation on what is already a difficult time for you all."

'Gossip'

A Scottish executive spokeswoman declined to discuss the allegations with reporters.

"I am not going to comment on gossip," she said.

"What I will say is that there is constructive dialogue going on between the Scottish executive and Scottish Opera.

"We are working hard with them to overcome their budget problems, and once that dialogue has been concluded, those conclusions will be made public."

It was also admitted that McConnell did have an "off the record" conversation with a newspaper editor, but had not breached ministerial codes.

Conservative finance spokesman Brian Monteith called for an explanation from Jack McConnell.

"The first minister has broken what I understood to be a firm agreement between Scottish Opera and the executive that no details would be revealed until talks had been concluded," he said.

"By making public the transfer of the running of the Theatre Royal as part of the rescue package, he has jeopardised the value that Scottish Opera, and therefore the Scottish taxpayer, might gain from any sale.

"This is a serious breach of commercial confidentiality that calls into question the judgement of the first minister and suggests that Mr McConnell is clearly more concerned about his personal profile than about Scotland's cultural esteem."

SNP deputy leader Roseanna Cunningham echoed his comments.

"Jack McConnell has issued no denial that he leaked these proposals, no angry rebuttals so often heard from Labour's spin machine - just a deafening silence," she said.

"He has only two options now.  Either he issues an immediate and comprehensive denial or he accepts that he is guilty as charged, has broken his own code of conduct and must apologise to Scottish Opera staff."