Former health secretary Michael Matheson has been told it would be “outrageous” to accept a near £13,000 severance package, as pressure mounts on him to rule out receiving the golden goodbye.

Mr Matheson stood down from the government position last week after months of speculation over an £11,000 data roaming charge bill he racked up on his parliamentary iPad while on a family holiday to Morocco.

He initially claimed this on expenses, saying the iPad was used for legitimate parliamentary business - however it was later revealed his sons had used the iPad data to live stream football matches.

Michael Matheson resigned as health secretary last week. Image: Jane Barlow/Press Association.

His resignation now means he is entitled to severance of almost £13,000.

His successor as health secretary Neil Gray said it was Mr Matheson’s “right” to receive ministerial severance pay, but would not say if he should.

Mr Gray said: “That is a right afforded to him in leaving office.

“It is for him to decide on the circumstances.

Health Secretary Michael Matheson has resisted calls to resign over his £11,000 iPad expenses bill (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

“I think Michael has given 25 years of incredible public service as a member of the Scottish Parliament and a decade of experience as a minister in the Scottish Government.

“He has dedicated himself to public service.

“He made a mistake, no doubting that, and he has apologised.”

When asked if he would accept the pay-out, Mr Gray said: “That’s a hypothetical question won’t entertain - for now it is for Michael to decide whether he takes that.”

Opposition parties say it would be “outrageous” for Mr Matheson to accept this payment.

Dame Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader and health spokeswoman, said he should “do the decent thing and hand it back”.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross added: “It would be outrageous if Michael Matheson trousered £12,000-plus in ministerial severance pay – and yet his successor as health secretary, Neil Gray, said that he had a ‘right’ to the pay-off and refused to say that he should reject it.

“This shows how arrogant and out-of-touch SNP ministers have become.”

Mr Ross also said Mr Matheson should stand down as an MSP if it is found he misled Holyrood authorities about the iPad bill.

The Sunday Mail reported the parliament investigation into the scandal, which is yet to be made public, includes claims the Falkirk West MSP misled Holyrood’s presiding officer Alison Johnstone.

Mr Matheson said he found out about his children using the iPad data on 9 November, and made a personal statement to Holyrood on 16 November.

However, the reports at the weekend claimed he met Ms Johnstone between these two dates but did not tell her about the streaming.

Mr Ross said that if it was found Mr Matheson had misled the presiding officer about his iPad use, then his “position as an MSP is untenable”.

Mr Ross said: “Remember, it was Michael Matheson and the SNP who initiated this investigation and called for due process – supposedly to get to the bottom of what happened.”

Mr Matheson was replaced by Mr Gray in a mini-reshuffle of cabinet on Thursday evening.

Mr Gray said yesterday he felt the responsibility on his shoulders of becoming the country’s health secretary. He said the NHS must reform and improve, and said he would have a focus on driving down waiting times.

He said the NHS was still recovering from both the coronavirus pandemic and the impact of Brexit, but added: “I will do my absolute best.”

During his interview on the BBC, Mr Gray said: “I am only on the third day of the job, so I want to take a full assessment of where things are and where improvements can be made.

“Obviously there are pressures across the NHS, but we have record health spending in Scotland with £19.5 billion in this budget.”

He added: “I am expecting to take a paper to cabinet in the coming weeks and months to set all of that out.

“I am looking to see the details of things across the health service next week to hear more about what Michael was working on.

“I am willing to be pragmatic and consider the evidence and advice of not just officials, but of staff and trade unions on what is possible and what is most likely to work – and I will take decisions on that basis.”

Scottish Labour said Mr Gray had a “mammoth challenge” ahead of him as health secretary.

Dame Jackie said: “The new health secretary has inherited an overflowing in-tray from his predecessors – including Humza Yousaf.

“From missed cancer treatment targets to A&E waiting times to the government’s shambolic National Care Service, Neil Gray has a mammoth challenge ahead.

“This crisis is the result of 17 years of SNP failure.

“People want change and only Scottish Labour can deliver it.”

Meanwhile Tess White, the Scottish Conservatives deputy health spokeswoman, said the ministerial position was a “poisoned chalice” which has left Scotland’s NHS “ill-equipped to meet the huge demands placed on it”.

Ms White said: “A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies last week revealed that Scotland’s NHS is treating fewer patients than pre-pandemic, which is a clear indictment of Humza Yousaf’s failed Covid recovery plan.

“Waiting times in A&E and for cancer treatment are not just unacceptable, they are leading to needless deaths.

“Neil Gray’s claim that progress is being made on these is baffling when they are at record highs.”

“The new health secretary should be adopting the policies contained in the Scottish Conservatives’ health paper launched last week – including increasing the proportion of NHS spending going on primary care to deliver 1,000 extra GPs.

“This would reduce the strain on other areas of our NHS.”

Pressure mounting on Michael Matheson to rule out £13,000 golden goodbye

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