Outgoing Solicitor-General Justin Gleeson has refused to answer the more than 100 questions from a Liberal senator, arguing he considers them "an attack" and they imply a "deficiency" in the evidence he gave to a Senate committee.

Key points: Justin Gleeson says Linda Reynolds has put more questions to him

Justin Gleeson says Linda Reynolds has put more questions to him Mr Gleeson refuses to respond to questions that "appeared to further an attack"

Mr Gleeson refuses to respond to questions that "appeared to further an attack" He has given two weeks' notice in resigning from office

The departing salvo at the Senate committee investigating his public bust-up with Attorney-General George Brandis comes as it appears Labor has the numbers to disallow the direction that caused the dispute in the Senate.

Mr Gleeson announced his resignation as Australia's second law officer on Monday, arguing his relationship with Senator Brandis was "irretrievably broken".

It followed a bitter brawl in which Mr Gleeson accused Senator Brandis of enacting a legal direction to restrict his ability to give frank and fearless advice as Australia's chief counsel, and that he was cut out of discussions on key issues of national importance.

Both men appeared before a fiery Senate committee hearing investigating a decision by the Attorney-General to install himself as a gatekeeper to the Solicitor-General's Office, with all requests for Mr Gleeson's expert legal advice requiring Senator Brandis' permission.

Mr Gleeson was grilled by senators of the committee for close to three hours before Senator Brandis gave his testimony.

The outgoing Solicitor-General said more questions were put to him on notice by West Australian Liberal senator Linda Reynolds, and he was refusing to respond to them.

"Each of the Questions on Notice appears to assume that there is some relevant deficiency in my evidence, a premise I do not accept," Mr Gleeson wrote to the committee.

"On their face, the questions appeared designed to further an attack, both on me personally and on the Office of the Solicitor-General, unrelated to the subject matter of the Inquiry.

"The number of questions [in excess of 120] makes the task of seeking to answer them impractical and unreasonable in the light of my other commitments in the next two weeks."

In resigning from office, Mr Gleeson gave two weeks' notice.

The questions ranged from whether he consented to his strongly worded submission that rebuked claims by the Attorney-General being uploaded to the Parliament House website, and what notes he took of a phone call with the shadow attorney-general during the election campaign.

He also raised concern there was no evidence the committee approved the questions before they were put on notice.

The inquiry's chair, WA Labor senator Louise Pratt, said a response from Mr Gleeson was not required.

"The committee has resolved it will not insist upon answers, given that many of the questions cover ground that has been discussed at length at the public hearing, and as a result of the large number of questions which were asked," Senator Pratt said.

Disallowance motion likely to get up

The legal directive at the heart of the row is set to be struck down by the Senate, possibly as early as in the next sitting week in November.

Earlier this month, Labor gave notice of its intention to have the direction struck out.

The three Nick Xenophon Team senators have announced they will vote with Labor and the Greens, alongside Victorian senator Derryn Hinch, giving them the numbers needed to disallow the direction.

Senator Brandis could withdraw the directive himself to avoid defeat.

Yesterday, the deputy chair of the committee investigating the matter, Queensland Liberal-National senator Ian Macdonald, conceded the Attorney-General's directive may be doomed.

"Perhaps Senator Brandis didn't have the right solution. It was a solution, and if it's not the right solution then I'm sure he will find a better solution if that one is disallowed by the Parliament," Senator Macdonald said.

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