SCOTLAND'S Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has been reported to Nicola Sturgeon and Holyrood's standards committee following a complaint that he breached the ministerial code.
Yousaf apologised to Parliament yesterday after a statement on actions to ease the ambulance backlog was briefed to a newspaper before being made in Holyrood.
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone said it was "extremely disappointing" that Yousaf spoke to the Daily Record ahead of the statement.
The Health Secretary told the paper the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service would be brought in to support the ambulance service, which has suffered from a backlog causing long waits for care.
READ MORE: Humza Yousaf forced to apologise after briefing key government plans to media
Johnstone said she would allow the statement to go ahead, but warned the minister she may choose to cancel a statement and move straight to opposition questions on government announcements if they are made to the media again.
"I would make clear that the expectation for statements be made to this parliament is about demonstrating respect for this parliament," the Presiding Officer said.
"I consider this a very serious matter."
She added: "Given that I can't be sure that all members will have seen this coverage, I will - in this instance - allow the statement to be made.
"But if there are similar instances in future, I reserve the right not to allow the minister to deliver the statement, but to move straight to questions from members."
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Now the Scottish Conservatives have reported Yousaf to the First Minister and the chair of Parliament’s Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee over the matter, claiming it amounts to a breach of the ministerial code.
Paragraph 3.5 of the ministerial code states that "When the Parliament is meeting, Ministers should ensure that important announcements of Government policy are made, in the first instance, to the Parliament.”
Scottish Tory Chief Whip Stephen Kerr has written to the First Minister today asking her what measures will be taken in response and if she still has confidence in his ability to retain ministerial office.
Kerr said: “Humza Yousaf has shown complete disregard for the ministerial code by announcing the details of this statement to the media first.
“When challenged on his actions in Parliament, he responded arrogantly and took umbrage at being held to account. He has held Parliament in total contempt which is why this must be investigated further by Nicola Sturgeon.
“Her ministers have a duty to respect and abide by the ministerial code at all times. That clearly hasn’t happened here and she must confirm whether she still has confidence in Humza Yousaf’s ability to hold office.
“Nicola Sturgeon was at pains to tell parliament that this statement on Scotland’s ambulance crisis would be delivered to the chamber at the earliest opportunity.
“Serious questions must be answered as to why her Health Secretary thought it was appropriate to reveal it to the Daily Record on the same morning first.
“A thorough investigation must guarantee that any SNP-Green minister never disrespects the Scottish Parliament in this way ever again.”
Addressing the issue yesterday, Yousaf said: "Presiding Officer, as I hope you'll appreciate, it was never my intention to cause you or indeed this chamber any issues when speaking to the media ahead of my statement today.
"Let me offer an apology to you but also the chamber if issues were caused and my assurance of course that we will take the necessary steps to ensure this does not happen again in the future."
The Conservative Government have repeatedly come under fire for briefing the media ahead of statements to the Commons with the SNP complaining about the matter.
In July this year the party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford condemned press briefings on how details of how lockdown restrictions were going to be eased in England later that month before being given to MPs.
Blackford said: "Why is Boris Johnson not coming to Parliament to announce this as he should? He must as the Prime Minister accept his responsibilities to be scrutinised in the house.
"This is not acceptable and he should be told as such. The details should also not be pre-released like this."
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle met with Johnson in June over the issue of statements about legal changes being made to the press before MPs were told in the Commons.
Hoyle described accused Downing Street of “running roughshod” over MPs by opting to release details of a delay to planned unlocking of Covid restrictions last month.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Mr Yousaf has given a given a formal, in-person apology to the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament and to the Presiding Officer. As such we consider the matter closed.”
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