By Angus Cochrane
BBC Scotland News
Neil Gray has been appointed as Scotland’s health secretary following the resignation of Michael Matheson.
Mr Gray, who led Humza Yousaf’s SNP leadership campaign last year, had been the wellbeing economy, fair work and energy secretary since last March.
Mr Matheson quit ahead of the release of a report into an £11k data roaming bill racked up on his parliamentary iPad.
Elena Whitham also resigned as drugs minister this week for health reasons.
Mr Yousaf, the first minister, has been reshuffling his government ministers after Mr Matheson quit on Thursday morning.
The new cabinet team will be unveiled later on Thursday.
Mr Matheson announced he was standing down because he said he did not want a row over the bill – incurred during a family holiday to Morocco – to become a distraction from the government’s work.
The £11,000 bill was initially paid out of the public purse.
When details of the fees emerged in November, Mr Matheson said the device had been used exclusively for parliamentary work.
He later admitted his sons had used the iPad’s data as a hotspot to watch football matches. He apologised and repaid the fees.
The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) has been investigating whether Mr Matheson made an improper expenses claim.
The SNP MSP was told on Thursday that he would shortly be issued with a draft report of the investigation’s provisional findings. He has been given two weeks to respond.
Mr Matheson had served as a government minister for more than 12 years, including almost a year as health secretary.
Mr Gray was an MP from 2015 to 2021, when he quit Westminster to seek election to the Scottish Parliament.
After winning the Airdrie and Shotts seat, he was appointed minister for culture, Europe and international development in January 2022. He was later given ministerial responsibility for Ukrainian refugees.
Who is Neil Gray?
By Andrew Kerr, Scottish political correspondent
Neil Gray is a relative newcomer to Holyrood and now finds himself in charge of a multi-billion pound health budget.
He became a member of the Scottish Parliament in 2021 – after quitting his Westminster Airdrie and Shotts seat.
After a stint at the BBC he worked for the former health secretary, Alex Neil, in his constituency.
He is close to Humza Yousaf and his nickname for the first minister is “Boss”.
When Nicola Sturgeon resigned he received a positive response from members but backed Humza Yousaf for the top job.
Perhaps that though could indicate a well-spring of support if there was ever a vacancy for first minister? He’s a capable and confident performer in front of a microphone and now takes on the most challenging brief in devolved government.