SNP First Minister John Swinney rallied once more to the defence of his embattled health secretary Neil Gray who faces growing calls to resign.

Mr Gray had come under fire for the use of ministerial cars to attend high-profile football matches, but had argued the trips enabled business meetings to take place, and that notes had been taken at “all” events.

The health secretary now faces a probe into possible breaches of the ministerial code, however, after he was forced to apologise to Holyrood when it emerged no notes existed for many meetings on the trips. 

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay used today’s First Minister’s Questions to say: “In the real world, if people can’t do their jobs properly or don’t tell the truth, they get the sack.

“Is it now time for John Swinney to show some leadership by sending Neil Gray — in a chauffeur-driven limo if he likes — to collect his P45?”

Joining the resignation calls, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “The SNP’s record on the NHS is one of abject failure.

“Our NHS and care system is in permanent crisis and we have a Health Secretary that no-one has confidence in.

“He should be sacked for mismanaging our NHS, not just misleading this Parliament.”

Mr Swinney insisted both he and Mr Gray remained “entirely focused” on the NHS.

Turning to the allegations, he maintained Mr Gray had acted “in accordance with the ministerial code” by returning to Parliament to correct the record.

But Mr Swinney added: “I will be inviting my independent advisers to consider the view I have taken and it will be free to them to take that decision, that is why I have strengthened the ministerial code, it is why I have strengthened the independent advisers.”