'Absurd': John Swinney defends health secretary being chauffeured to film premiere

The First Minister said the movie addressed issues of alcoholism and mental health, and so was "relevant" to Neil Gray’s portfolio. The Scottish Tories called the comments “desperate” and “absurd”.

Mr Gray was driven to and from the UK premiere of The Outrun at the Edinburgh Film Festival in August. He and his wife Karlie posed for photographs at the event at the Cameo cinema, which was also attended by star Saoirse Ronan.

It comes after Mr Gray previously apologised for giving the impression of acting “more as a fan and less as a minister” after he was chauffeured to Aberdeen football games in a ministerial car.

Official records say the health secretary met representatives of film quango Screen Scotland at a reception and discussed “culture”, despite this not falling within his portfolio.

Angus Robertson, the culture secretary, was also at the event. Rachael Hamilton, deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives, previously said Mr Gray - who is from Orkney, where much of The Outrun is set - “appears to have simply been on a jolly”.

Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the First Minister was asked why Mr Gray needed to take an official government car to and from a movie premiere when the culture secretary was already in attendance.

"We've set out the details of this in the material that we've published about the journey, which was on government business,” Mr Swinney said. “That's the best detail I can give to you."

Asked what Mr Gray added, Mr Swinney said: "He was attending a film which is addressing the issues of drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and mental health and wellbeing, and therefore relevant to his portfolio interests as the Cabinet secretary for health."

Ms Hamilton said: “This is a desperate defence from John Swinney of his Cabinet colleague. He knows fine well that there was no justification for Neil Gray to be at this event and is clutching at straws.

“Taxpayers are sick and tired of the SNP taking them for a ride. Honest John should have had the decency to be upfront with the public over Neil Gray’s behaviour, instead of giving this absurd response.”