Michael Matheson iPad bill: Scottish Tories push for more parliamentary time to quiz minister after Humza Yousaf backing

The request from the Scottish Tories comes after First Minister Humza Yousaf said he was not misled by Michael Matheson in the revelations over the health secretary’s iPad data roaming bill

The Scottish Tories are to this week push for more time in Holyrood to question Health Secretary Michael Matheson over his near-£11,000 data bill.

Mr Matheson said last week – in an emotional personal statement in Holyrood – the bill was racked up by his teenage sons watching football during a holiday to Morocco at the start of this year.

But the revelation came just days after the minister said no one else had used the parliamentary iPad.

Health secretary Michael Matheson during a visit to the Thistle Foundation in Edinburgh with First Minister Humza Yousaf. Picture: PA

The bill, which included a cost of more than £7,000 in a single day, had been caused by using the device as a hot-spot to allow internet access on another device.

Following his personal statement, the minister faced questions from parliamentarians. But the Scottish Tories have said questions remain unanswered about the issue and hit out at Mr Matheson, First Minister Humza Yousaf and Deputy First Minister Shona Robison for "largely avoiding scrutiny" over the weekend.

Mr Matheson and the First Minister both declined to appear on BBC Scotland's Sunday Show, while Ms Robison reportedly pulled out of the programme.

The Scottish Tories' chief whip Alexander Burnett will push for a further statement this week, with more time for questions.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: "Michael Matheson might have run up this eye-watering bill, but he cannot continue to run away from this scandal.

"He – and the other most senior members of the SNP Government – spent the weekend largely avoiding scrutiny and clearly hoping this scandal will just go away.

"That is wishful thinking when we know that the health secretary lied to the press and public over whether this parliamentary device had been used for personal purposes. His personal statement last week allowed a severely limited time for questioning. A significant number of questions remain wholly unanswered.

"That is why my party is calling for a substantial amount of parliamentary time to be set aside to allow Michael Matheson to make another statement and for us to be allowed extensive questioning to get answers."

Mr Ross said the public had "lost confidence in the health secretary", adding: "Until he resigns, or Humza Yousaf does the right thing and sacks him, my party will continue to use every method possible in Parliament to hold Michael Matheson to account for his lies and lack of answers."

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme on Sunday, the First Minister defended Mr Matheson as a "man of integrity". He said: "For me, Michael, who I've known for well over 15 years, is a man of integrity, honesty.

"He should have handled the situation better, Michael knows that and he's apologised for that."

The health secretary, Mr Yousaf said, did not mislead him over the issue.