Scotland Health Secretary, Michael Matheson, has resigned amidst an ongoing investigation into an £11,000 (Ksh 2.02 million) bill on his work iPad.

The decision was announced just hours before Matheson was set to discuss proposals for a 30% increase in the minimum unit price for alcoholic drinks in Scotland, as part of efforts to curb alcohol-related deaths.

A cross-party body in charge of the Scottish parliament launched an investigation in November after Matheson took the parliamentary iPad with him on a week-long visit to Morocco with his family around Christmas in 2022.

The investigation arose after it was discovered that his roaming charges for the iPad accumulated to nearly £11,000.

This sparked controversy as such bills are paid for by taxpayers.

Matheson’s Statement on the Issue

Matheson claimed he ran up the substantial bill undertaking constituency work during the trip.

Initially he claimed that the large iPad bill was due to an expired sim card, defending it as a legitimate parliamentary expense.

Holyrood officials (The Scottish Parliament) accepted his explanation, agreeing that £3,000 would be paid through his office expenses, with the rest funded by parliament.

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After the story hit the headlines, it was discovered that his teenage sons had used the iPad as a hotspot to watch football while on the family vacation.

The Scotland Government official’s resignation comes ahead of the conclusion of the probe by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB).

Matheson said he had still not received the findings of the review but had decided to step down in the meantime.

Scotland Health Secretary Quits

Matheson tendered his resignation in a letter to First Minister Humza Yousaf on Thursday February 8 ,2024.

In the letter he wrote: “Having requested that the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body review my data roaming charges from last year, I am conscious that this process will conclude in the coming weeks.”

“I have still not received the findings of their review; however, it is in the best interest of myself and the government for me to now step down to ensure this does not become a distraction to taking forward the government’s agenda.”

Also, Matheson was the net zero, energy and transport secretary in the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s government at the time of the incident.

He told Holyrood that he was unaware that his sons had used the iPad as a hotspot when he initially submitted the sizeable bill.

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However, Matheson later claimed he was told the truth by his wife after the story sparked public outcry, raising questions about his initial explanation.

However, even after his wife’s admission, Matheson initially failed to publicly mention his sons’ involvement.

When questioned by journalists’ days after he knew the truth, he continued to deny the iPad was used for personal use until he made a statement to Holyrood.

The First Minister Accepts Resignation

Humza Yousaf, the first minister, accepted Matheson’s resignation “with sadness,” acknowledging his significant service to the country.

He however noted that stepping down was the best course to avoid distraction from parliamentary processes and the government’s agenda.

“I agree that it is therefore best for you to now step down to ensure you are able to give the parliamentary process the attention it deserves without it becoming a distraction to taking forward the government’s agenda.” said the first minister.