Neil Gray is facing more claims he indulged himself at the taxpayers’ expense after being chauffeured to a star-studded film premiere.
The Health Secretary, who grew up in Orkney where the film is set, previously said ‘cannot wait to see this’ on social media.
The updated register of ministerial engagements states he met with Screen Scotland at a ‘reception’ that night about ‘culture’.
Mr Gray, who took over the health portfolio in February after a year with the economy brief, last had ministerial responsibility for culture in March 2023.
After visiting the cinema with his wife Karlie, the Airdrie and Shotts MSP took a ministerial limo from another Film Festival venue to a ‘personal address’.
Mr Gray, 38, did have a series of health-related meetings in Edinburgh earlier involving the BMA, NHS Forth Valley and a ‘health workforce roundtable’.
But the Film Festival event was the last ‘ministerial’ engagement of the day.
The government refused to say why Mr Gray attended, what ministerial business was discussed, or whether he took a family member or guest – as he did to the football. A spokesman said: ‘Ministers attend sporting and cultural events as part of their ministerial duties.’
The Outrun, based on Orcadian writer Amy Liptrot’s memoir about recovering from alcoholism, was well-known to Mr Gray.
In December last year, he reposted a message on X about it being shown at the Sundance Film Festival in the US the following month. He wrote: ‘Cannot wait to see this!’ Mr Gray apologised to parliament this month after taking official limos to eight football matches in around two years, four involving Aberdeen.
He admitted the many Aberdeen matches gave ‘the impression of acting more as a fan and less as a minister’.
He said yesterday he would continue to attend games, but would ‘get the balance right’.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: ‘There is a growing pattern of behaviour from Neil Gray. He has serious questions to answer over why he was chauffeured in the ministerial limo to and from a film premiere.
‘It looks as though he likes to use his position of privilege to indulge in his favourite passions, rather than focusing on his actual job.
‘The scandal smacks of another SNP cover-up and it won’t go away until he is fully upfront about why he was at certain events and if any government business actually took place.’