The Scottish Parliament has today been urged to set a deadline for completing its investigation in the Michael Matheson iPad scandal, so that “we finally get the answers the health secretary and First Minister won’t provide”.
In a letter to the Presiding Officer, Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy seeks clarity on when the report into the affair will be published and whether Mr Matheson will see a draft version – and be allowed to suggest edits – beforehand.
He is also requesting a parliamentary debate on the report’s findings, as well as urging the parliament’s corporate body to make public all correspondence between itself and Mr Matheson over his £11,000 roaming charges expenses claim.
Craig Hoy claims that the SNP are “trying to kick the can down the road” on the scandal in the hope that it will “blow over”.
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “I’m pleased the parliament is taking this matter seriously, but it must conduct the investigation as a matter of urgency, so I’m seeking confirmation on when we can expect it to report its findings.
“I’ve written to the Presiding Officer requesting this and – because this scandal is about the integrity of the health secretary and First Minister – a guarantee that time will be made for a parliamentary debate on the report.
“The public need to have confidence in this process, so we also need to know whether or not Mr Matheson will see a draft version of the report prior to publication – and if he will be allowed to suggest edits to the final version.
“I’m also seeking a guarantee that the parliament publish all its correspondence with Michael Matheson over his outrageous expense claim – because it’s clear that he won’t.
“The SNP and the health secretary are trying to kick the can down the road in the hope that this scandal will blow over, but that can’t be allowed to happen.
“Michael Matheson has lied and covered up throughout this saga and the parliament’s investigation must ensure we finally get the answers that the health secretary and First Minister won’t provide.”