SNP health secretary who quit over iPad scandal urged to refuse £13,000 payout

Michael Matheson made almost £11,000 in roaming charges on his parliamentary iPad while on holiday. Photo: JEFF J MITCHELL/GETTY IMAGES

The public will be “outraged” if former health secretary Michael Matheson accepts a severance package of almost £13,000, the Scottish Tory leader has said.

Mr Matheson resigned from his post in the Scottish Government on Thursday after several months. due to a review of his parliamentary iPad bill worth almost £11,000.

He made the charges while on holiday in Morocco over Christmas 2022 and later admitted his sons used the device as access points for watching football.

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The former health minister agreed to return the money, initially demanding it from public coffers and saying the device was used for parliamentary work. He said he only later learned of his sons' use of the device.

Following his resignation, Mr Matheson is entitled to a grant of 25 per cent of his final ministerial salary of £50,849, meaning he will be paid a severance package of £12,712. which will more than cover your data bills.

Douglas Ross said on Friday that the “disgraced” ex-minister, who held a number of ministerial posts during his nearly 13 years in government, should not accept payment.

“I think the public would be shocked if «would he accept the money, given how he continued to be disgraced in office for months and how he was eventually forced to resign,» Mr Ross said.

«I hope that at some stage in this whole sad saga he does the right thing and either refuses to accept this money or returns it,” he added.

Mr Matheson's resignation comes ahead of the findings of an inquiry by the Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body into its expenses claim over iPad costs.

The report is expected to be published in the coming weeks and Mr Ross will also question Mr Matheson's future as an MP depends on the results.

In his resignation letter, Mr Matheson said: “This is under review. It is in the best interests of me and the government that I resign to ensure that this does not become a distraction from advancing the government's agenda.»

However, he did not express regret or apology for demanding the bill. from the taxpayer.

He publicly stated that the device was being used for parliamentary purposes several days after he later admitted to learning that this was not the case. Mr Matheson said he tried to shield his children from scrutiny.

Mr Ross spoke after unveiling the Scottish Tories' new plan for the Scottish National Health Service. The measures include plans to provide 1,000 extra GPs by the end of the next parliamentary term.

The party is also promising to give patients the guarantee of seeing a GP within a week by increasing the share of NHS funding for GPs. services by 12 per cent, while health boards could face sanctions if they exceed national waiting times.

Mr Ross turned to Neil Gray, who was appointed health secretary on Thursday following the resignation of Mr -on Matheson to nominate Tory He said the proposals would now strengthen the crisis-hit health sector.

The proposals also include improving conditions for medical staff and creating an NHS app that would allow patients to see waiting times in real time and make an appointment.