Health Secretary who used chauffeur for football was ‘doing job’

The minister, originally from Orkney, was also driven to an Aberdeen home league match against Livingston in May during a day of ministerial visits in the city.

The first two matches were logged on the Scottish government’s ministerial engagements, travel and gifts register as meetings with the SFA about the “social impact” of investment in sport.

The latter two were registered under the subject “sport”.

Gray took over as health secretary from Michael Matheson in February 2023.

Matheson quit after an £11k data roaming bill was racked up on his parliamentary iPad, which he said had been used by his sons to watch football matches during a family holiday.

A government spokesperson said that sport is part of Gray’s remit as health secretary, and said he regularly attended sporting events “to support workers and players”.