The Scottish Health Minister made a formal apology to Parliament on Thursday, November 16, for returning from holiday with a phone bill of more than €10,000 as a result of a football match his sons watched on his office iPad.

The issue has become increasingly embarrassing for the pro-independence government since the release of a nearly £11,000 (€12,500) bill brought back by Michael Matheson at the expense of Scottish taxpayers.

Holidays in Morocco

He first said he used his electronic tablet to work during his vacation in Morocco in late December and early January. But the opposition calculated that more than 8,000 emails would have to be sent to reach the dues. Michael Matheson, who has been called to resign, explained to Parliament on Thursday that his teenage sons watched football matches on the device.

«Mistakes were made by me and my family“, he promised, pointing out that he had finally paid back the bill to the government. “I should have focused on the SIM card and investigated in more detail what happened». «I recognize it, I take full responsibility for it and I apologize unconditionally“, he added.

Scottish Prime Minister Hamza Youssef, whose independence party, the SNP, has been weakened by a scandal over its funding, said, “Honest mistakes happen» And reiterated his faith in his minister.