Neil Gray apologises for inaccurate statement to parliament

Neil Gray has apologised for an “inadvertent error” in a statement he made to parliament last year about using ministerial cars to attend football games.

The health secretary was forced into the statement in November in which he apologised for having “given the impression of acting more as a fan and less as a minister”.

But he insisted his attendance at the matches were “legitimate” because all engagements were official ministerial business.

However, in answer to a question from Tory MSP Stephen Kerr on the matter, Gray said that “summaries will be available for all the engagements that I have been participating in”.

Following a freedom of information request, it became clear over the weekend that not all engagements were recorded.

Raising a point of order in parliament on Tuesday, Gray said: “Despite being clear earlier in the session that I would need to check, I recognise that I asserted that there would be summaries available for all the engagements.

“It has since come to light that that is incorrect, and I am sorry for that inadvertent error.”

The row started after declarations in the Scottish Government’s ministerial engagements, travel and gifts register showed Gray had used taxpayer-funded cars to attend four matches of the team he supports, Aberdeen.

A report that appeared in the Sunday Post at the weekend revealed no note was produced after Gray’s attendance at the 2023 league cup final between Aberdeen and Rangers.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kerr said the cabinet secretary had “provided information to parliament that is inaccurate, whether intentionally or otherwise”.

Labour MSP Neil Bibby warned there was a “significant risk of a perception that the cabinet secretary might have misled parliament”.

Presiding Officer Alison Johnson said it was “paramount” that all members “give accurate and truthful information to the parliament and correct any inadvertent errors at the earliest opportunity”.