Neil Gray to address MSPs as he faces questions over ministerial car use

Health Secretary Neil Gray will address MSPs as he faces questions over his use of a ministerial car to attend Aberdeen football games.

Mr Gray will give a statement in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, discussing his ministerial travel.

The Tories have attacked the SNP minister after it was reported that he was chauffeured to Hampden to watch three games involving Aberdeen, the team he supports.

But his cabinet colleague Gillian Martin defended him, saying he was “doing his job” and attending events in order to promote government initiatives.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton compared the issue to the scandal which led to the resignation of another SNP Health Secretary, Michael Matheson.

Mr Matheson had billed the the taxpayer for a £10,000 iPad roaming charge that he later admitted was clocked up by his sons watching football.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “The Scottish Conservatives have successfully forced Neil Gray into making a statement to parliament on his chauffeur scandal.

“His defences are getting weaker by the minute and by delaying the statement to Thursday, it looks like the SNP are buying more time to try and get their story straight.

“This scandal reeks of the Michael Matheson affair. Once again, the public seem to be picking up the bill for an SNP minister to watch the football.

“Neil Gray must end the secrecy and outline in full the exact nature of these meetings and explain why he thinks they can possibly be considered as government business.”

An SNP spokesman said earlier: “This faux outrage from the Tories would have more credibility were it not for the fact that they themselves have repeatedly attended sporting events in their MSP capacity.

“No doubt they did so because they agree with us that it is very important for elected representatives to support Scotland’s thriving sporting events.”

Acting Net Zero Secretary Ms Martin said on Monday: “It’s my understanding that Neil Gray was doing his job as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

“It seems to be that he has done visits in line with his government duties and in line with his responsibilities for sport.

“So he would use a ministerial car to get to somewhere where he was doing a ministerial event and that’s pretty standard.”