Michael Matheson quits as Scotland's health secretary

He's been in the spotlight since last November over an £11,000 iPad bill

Michael Matheson
Author: Rebecca McCurdyPublished 8th Feb 2024

Michael Matheson has quit as Scotland's health secretary, saying he was leaving the post so the row over his iPad roaming charges "does not become a distraction" to the Government.

Mr Matheson had been under fire since November last year when details of an £11,000 bill on his Holyrood-issued iPad were made public.

READ MORE: Holyrood bosses urged to investigate minister's £11,000 iPad charges.

In an emotional statement to MSPs, he revealed his teenage sons had been using the device as a hotspot so they could watch football while on a family holiday to Morocco.

The then health secretary, however, had originally insisted the charges had been run up while he was using it for constituency work during the break.

When he learned of his children's use of the device, Mr Matheson paid back the charges, which had originally been picked up by the Scottish Parliament.

READ MORE: Scottish ministers being urged to increase minimum unit pricing for alcohol.

With the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body conducting an investigation, Mr Matheson said he was "conscious that this process will conclude in the coming weeks".

In a letter to First Minister Humza Yousaf, he said: "It is in the best interests of myself and the Government for me now to step down to ensure that this does not become a distraction to taking forward the Government's agenda."

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