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Swinney backs Gray after second apology to MSPs

Angus Cochrane
BBC Scotland News
Getty Images John Swinney, a bald man with glasses, wears a dark suit, white shirt and purple tie. He is looking to his left in a medium-close up shot in the Scottish Parliament, with twinkling lights in a blurred background Getty Images
John Swinney says the health secretary's original statement had "one word too many"

First Minister John Swinney says he has confidence in Health Secretary Neil Gray, who has been forced to apologise for a second time over his attendance at football matches.

Gray said in November that he attended the games on "official ministerial business" and that summary notes had been taken for all the meetings at them.

This week, he said sorry to MSPs after admitting records were not kept for all the meetings.

Opposition parties have raised questions about why Gray did not seek to correct the parliamentary record about the meeting notes until the absence of documents was raised at Holyrood, after being revealed by a newspaper.

Getty Images Neil Gray, a bald man wearing a dark suit, white shirt and stripy tie, in a medium close-up shot in the Scottish Parliament. Getty Images
Neil Gray says he "inadvertently" misled MSPs

The row over meetings follows on from an earlier controversy about his use of ministerial cars to travel to games.

In November, Gray apologised for giving the impression of "acting more as a fan and less as a minister" after using ministerial cars to attend four games involving Aberdeen, the team he supports.

He said he attended the games on official ministerial business but admitted he should have "attended a wider range" of matches.

When asked if there would be summary notes for all the meetings, Gray originally said he believed so but would need to check.

However, in a subsequent question from Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr, he said summaries would be available for all of the engagements.

'Inadvertent error'

Gray apologised for the "inadvertent error" on Tuesday after the matter was raised by Kerr in the Scottish Parliament.

He cited a report in the Sunday Post revealing there was no summary note for a meeting held at the 2023 League Cup final at Hampden Park.

Swinney said the health secretary's initial statement had the necessary "caveats", but that his answer to Kerr "had one word too many… which was the word all".

"It's one of these situations where, in a long statement, one answer was not as complete as it needed to be, and he has apologised," the first minister told reporters.

"So it was a mistake, and he described it as an inadvertent error, and I would accept that."

Getty Images Stephen Kerr, who has dark hair with a side parting, looks at the camera in a medium close-up shot in the Scottish Parliament. He is wearing a black suit, white shirt and red tie. Getty Images
Stephen Kerr has raised further questions about Neil Gray's meetings

Kerr said: "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."

Labour's Neil Bibby said: "Instead of giving ministers a free pass for poor behaviour, John Swinney should demand his government acts with the integrity and honesty the public deserve."

'No reason' Scotland cannot have visa scheme

Swinney defended Gray following a speech in Glasgow to announce proposals for a Scottish visa which would allow university graduates to remain in the country.

The powers required to set up such a scheme lie with the UK government, which has previously said it was not considering calls for a separate Scottish visa.

But in his speech, Swinney said there was "no reason" Scotland could not have a visa scheme for gradates.

Swinney cited the Fresh Talent Scheme, introduced by Tony Blair's Labour government in 2005.

Scrapped in 2011, it allowed international students at Scottish universities to continue working in Scotland for up to two years after they graduated, after which they could apply for other visas.

The first minister said a similar scheme - linked to distinct Scottish tax codes and based on a requirement to live and work in Scotland - would boost Scotland's economy and help increase the country's working-age population.

Swinney claimed the UK government was being "dragged in an anti-growth direction" by efforts to limit migration and remain out of the European Union.

He said rejoining the bloc should be a "national mission" for Scotland.

The SNP leader said: "Whether it is more lucrative trade, higher economic growth, more effective collective action on climate change, increased opportunities for learning and exchange for young Scots, for me, the European Union is the answer."

Bibby responded: "Labour is focused on finding practical solutions to the challenges we face as a result of Brexit – from boosting trade to delivering a migration system that works for every part of the country."

National Care Service plans

Swinney was also asked if the government was about to officially scrap the already delayed National Care Service, which will be the subject of a parliamentary statement on Thursday.

He said he would not pre-empt the statement, adding that while there was a consensus that social care needs to improve, there was not "a consensus about how we go about doing that".