THE Scottish Health Secretary was doing his job while being driven in a ministerial car to attend free football matches, Gillian Martin has said.
The acting Net Zero Secretary defended Neil Gray, who she said was attending the cup ties “in line with his government duties”.
Gray has been criticised by opposition parties after it was reported he was chauffeured to watch his team play at Hampden.
The Health and Social Care Secretary (below) was given VIP seats – as a guest of the Scottish Football Association – three times, once in his current role and two when he was wellbeing economy, fair work and energy secretary.
Those include the Aberdeen v Hibernian match for the semi-final of the League Cup and the final against Rangers last year, as well as the semi-final of the Scottish Cup against Celtic this year.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland on Monday, the Net Zero Secretary said Gray would not have been allowed to use the car if it was not for official reasons.
She told the BBC programme: “It’s my understanding that Neil Gray was doing his job as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.
“It seems to be that he has done visits in line with his government duties and in line with his responsibilities for sport.
“So he would use a ministerial car to get to somewhere where he was doing a ministerial event and that’s pretty standard.”
Questioned on why the three visits were to watch Aberdeen FC, the team Gray supports, Martin said: “That’s a question for him”.
“I obviously don’t know anyone’s football preferences,” she said.
“If he goes to see Aberdeen as part of a ministerial visit, then that’s obviously something that he has done and then aligned with the ministerial code.”
Martin, who is in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the COP29 climate conference, said it was the first time she had heard about issues being raised about ministerial car use.
She added: “The fact of the matter is you wouldn’t get a ministerial car unless there was a ministerial visit attached to that.
“And that’s just the fact. You would not be able to arrange a ministerial car unless it was ministerial business.”
The Scottish Tories meanwhile have demanded Gray make a statement to Holyrood explaining the matter.
Deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: "The SNP hammered Labour politicians for accepting donations for high-end clothes and all sorts of gifts, yet they don't say much when it's one of their own.
"Neil Gray must explain the full facts of what he's done to the Scottish Parliament and let the public judge for themselves.
"People deserve transparency or they will lose even more trust in SNP politicians."
Gray was made Health Secretary earlier this year after his predecessor, Michael Matheson, quit due to an expenses row.
Matheson had run up a £10,000 roaming charge on holiday after his sons streamed football matches on a Government iPad.
The tab was initially billed to the public purse but was later repaid by the SNP politician after the story broke.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "The Scottish Government places great importance on the success of Scottish sporting events.
"Not only do they bring significant economic benefits, but they are also a key driver of improving the health and wellbeing of our citizens.
"As the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, Mr Gray attends a number of sporting events such as golf, football and athletics to support workers and players.
"In the past, he has used such visits to announce and promote a number of initiatives, such as the Changing Rooms Extra Time mental health programme.
"Ministers attending events in a ministerial capacity are entitled to use government transport. All travel costs are in accordance with travel and subsistence policies to ensure we deliver the best value for money possible for the Scottish public."
