Gray apologises for ‘inadvertent error’ in remarks about football match meetings

The health secretary has apologised after making an “inadvertent error” in his remarks to Parliament around the documentation of meetings at football matches he attended.

Opponents had accused the SNP minister of potentially misleading the Scottish Parliament by saying that minutes were taken at all the meetings in football stadiums.

However, Gray rose at the end of business in the chamber on Tuesday to admit this was not the case for all of the matches.

Tory MSP Stephen Kerr and Labour MSP Neil Bibby had earlier raised points of order requesting that the record be amended in light of new information published in The Sunday Post newspaper at the weekend.

Following a Freedom of Information request, the newspaper was told by the Government there was no note produced of the meeting at the 2023 League Cup Final at Hampden Park, where Rangers defeated Aberdeen.

The health secretary attended six matches, including two games involving the Scottish national team, and was driven to the games in a government car.

Gray told the chamber: “I was explicitly clear (in November) that not all meetings required to be minuted, however, summary notes are often available, and that notes would be available for the majority of engagements that have been reported on.”

Gray said the content of his main statement to Parliament in November had been accurate, but conceded that he was wrong in saying summaries were available for “all” engagements as he answered a follow-up question from Kerr.

The health secretary told the chamber on Tuesday: “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 engagements.

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

He said he had written to the Presiding Officer and the two opposition MSPs on the matter.

In November, Gray, an Aberdeen supporter, said it is legitimate for ministers to attend sporting events and he will continue to do so.

However, he apologised after admitting he had given the impression of “acting more as a fan and less as a minister” and should have “attended a wider range of games”.

First Minister John Swinney has said he considers the matter “closed” and others in the SNP have defended Mr Gray.

On Thursday evening, Kerr said the health secretary had been forced into a “humiliating” apology.

He said: “He has misled Parliament and it will be clear to the public that he has only made this statement because he has been found out.

“Neil Gray promised that a summary of all the matches he attended would be available, but that was simply not true.

“John Swinney might have declared this case closed but there remain gaping holes in how Neil Gray has tried to pull the wool over the eyes of Scots.”

Bibby said: “Once again, Neil Gray has apologised for misleading Parliament, but the only reason that he’s now admitted to this mistake is because of pressure from opposition parties and the press.

“We need honesty and transparency from SNP ministers not this culture of secrecy and spin.

“This is the latest example of SNP ministers misleading Parliament – the First Minister needs to explain if he thinks this behaviour is acceptable, what action he’s going to take against Neil Gray on this case and how he’s going to stamp out this culture in his Government.”