FMQs - Russell Findlay quizzes the First Minister on Neil Gray's ministerial car use
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00:00A year ago, almost to the day, Michael Matheson stood in this chamber to deliver wholly unbelievable
00:11excuses about billing taxpayers for his £11,000 iPad bill. It seems the SNP have learned nothing
00:20from that scandal. Michael Matheson misused taxpayers' money to watch football on his
00:26iPad. Neil Gray did it to watch football in person. The SNP have substituted one shamed
00:34health and social care secretary for someone even less serious. Neil Gray charged taxpayers
00:41for ministerial limos to watch his football team. What is it with SNP ministers taking
00:47taxpayers for a ride?
00:55It has always been the case that ministers will attend sporting, cultural, societal
01:01and community events around the country. Indeed, I would expect ministers to do that, because
01:06they have to be in contact with various stakeholders around the country. Ministers will continue
01:13to engage on issues of importance with groupings around the country.
01:21These luxury cars are not free taxis to the football for SNP ministers. Neil Gray claims
01:27that he attended those games to discuss essential Government business. He tells us that the
01:34social impact investment—
01:35Mr Findlay, just a second. I want to ensure that we can hear one another.
01:41Neil Gray tells us that the social impact investment in sport was on the agenda. It
01:47just so happened to be during a major cup tie for the team that he supports. In the
01:52real world, his excuses lack any credibility. SNP ministers are having us on. Is John Swinney
02:00seriously telling us that vital Government business took place at those games?
02:08As I said in my first answer, I expect ministers to be engaged with a variety of stakeholders
02:15in events and gatherings around the country, whether they are cultural, societal, social
02:22or sporting events. That has always been the case in every Administration in the United
02:27Kingdom, and I would expect my ministers to do exactly that.
02:35John Swinney should put a stop to this nonsense and order the health and social care secretary
02:40to refund taxpayers. Neil Gray seems more interested in football freebies than in doing
02:47the job that he is paid for. Scotland's NHS is in crisis and social care is broken.
02:54For years, we have said that the SNP's national care service plans were a complete mess. In
02:59our very first exchange, I urged John Swinney to scrap it and to save taxpayers money. I
03:05am very glad that he seems to have listened to some common sense for a change, but what
03:12has taken him so long?
03:16On the question of the work rate of ministers, Neil Gray has undertaken 347 engagements since
03:25he became the health secretary in February 2024, 34 of which were in hospital and care
03:31facility visits, 17 surgery visits and meetings with GPs, 43 health board meetings, 24 conferences,
03:40receptions and speaking events, 152 general meetings, 15 meetings about health service
03:47pay, 62 meetings with MSPs, MPs, councillors and media engagements and five sporting events—five
03:58out of 347 engagements. That demonstrates that the health secretary is focused on the job,
04:06as one might put it.