1. Neil Charles Gray was born on 16 March 1986 and is a Scottish politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care since 2024.
18 Facts About Neil Gray
1. 2.
Neil Gray served as Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy from 2023 to 2024, and Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development from 2022 to 2023.
3.
Neil Gray graduated from the University of Stirling in 2008 with a first-class Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in politics and journalism.
4.
Neil Gray worked as a press and research intern for the SNP parliamentary group at the Scottish Parliament.
5.
The selection process for the Airdrie SNP candidacy, which Neil Gray ultimately won, was not without controversy.
6.
Neil Gray has campaigned extensively in support of Roadchef employees, and former employees, who have waited over 20 years for the repayment of money wrongly appropriated by former executive Tim Ingram Hill.
7.
In November 2020, Neil Gray announced that he would be resigning as an MP in order to try and win a seat in the Scottish Parliament at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.
8.
Neil Gray is the only SNP member to have held that notional office.
9.
On 7 May 2021, Neil Gray was elected as the MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, finishing ahead of former Scottish Labour leader, Richard Leonard.
10.
Neil Gray admitted that he had not costed the proposal.
11.
Neil Gray served as Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy under Humza Yousaf from 29 March 2023 to 8 February 2024.
12.
In November 2024, Neil Gray faced criticism after it was revealed that he had used an official ministerial car to be chauffeured to watch four Aberdeen FC football matches.
13.
Neil Gray, an acknowledged fan of Aberdeen FC, registered the events as official government visits.
14.
The Scottish Conservatives accused Neil Gray of having a "jolly to watch the football" at the expense of the taxpayer and called for the costs to be refunded in full, while the Scottish Greens criticised him for not using public transport.
15.
In January 2025, a Freedom of Information request revealed that no note was produced of the Neil Gray's meeting at the 2023 League Cup final at Hampden Park.
16.
Neil Gray subsequently apologised to the Scottish Parliament for making a misleading statement.
17.
John Swinney re-iterated his support for Neil Gray and insisted that the Health Secretary had made an "inadvertent error".
18.
Neil Gray has three daughters and one son with his wife, Karlie.