Matheson a 'decent person who made a mistake' insists FM

However, at the time, Mr Yousaf initially claimed he considered that the matter was "closed."

READ MORE: Michael Matheson breached MSP's code of conduct

Last week, following a lengthy investigation, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) had upheld three complaints about the ex-minister relating to his expenses.

He has now been referred to the Scottish Parliament's Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee which will decide if he should face any sanctions, including possible suspension.

Mr Matheson came under scrutiny last November when the Daily Telegraph uncovered a £10,935.74 data roaming bill, racked up during a family holiday to Morrocco.

The SNP MSP initially agreed to pay £3,000 from his taxpayer-funded expenses, with the Scottish Parliament picking up the rest.

However, days later, after journalists and MSPs queried the charge, he agreed to pay the full amount from his own pocket.

At first, he claimed the bill was related “solely to parliamentary and constituency-related work” that he carried out while on holiday.

However, in an emotional personal statement on November 16, he told MSPs that he had discovered on November 9 that his boys had used his parliamentary device as a wifi hotspot to watch football. 

However, on November 13, when asked directly if there was "any personal use" of the device during the family holiday, he told reporters: "No”

When asked if anyone else had used it, he said no. 

He met with the First Minister on November 14, and on the next day, ahead of the statement in Parliament, Mr Yousaf  told journalists that the matter was “now closed.”

READ MORE: Humza Yousaf flees Michael Matheson questions at SNP Perth event

Mr Yousaf has long defended his friend, describing him as a “man of integrity and honesty.”

During an interview with BBC Scotland’s Sunday show, he was asked if he stood by that description.

"Michael made a mistake," the First Minister said. "There's no ifs, buts or maybes about that. And decent people can make mistakes.

"And if there's somebody out there who's lived a saintly ;ife that's completely unblemished, then so be it but Michael has made a mistake.

"He's paid the price for that, literally paid back all of the money of course, and he'll obviously now be referred to the Parliament Standards Committee who will then decide to make a judgement. I won't interfere in that process.

"So Michael made a mistake. And not only that, of course, he also lost his job in government and he's paying a price for that so decent people can can make mistakes."

Asked if Mr Matheson's position as an MSP was under threat, the First Minister said he did not think it was.

"No, again, I don't think that's the case. He's a decent person that made a mistake. There are MSPs that have made mistakes and they have to face the consequences of those mistakes.

“I've not heard Michael suggest anything other than he'll accept whatever the consequences are. I'm sure he will accept wherever the parliamentary committee decides and deliberates on.”

The First Minister was asked why he did not sack Mr Matheson. 

He told the programme: "I'm somebody who genuinely believes in due process and I said that at the time it was important that Michael had that due process.

"The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body then investigated the matter.

"When it became abundantly clear that that investigation was going to take up a significant amount of Michael's time, he and I agreed that he should step back from government and concentrate on that process."

He added: "You've got every right, of course, to ask me about Michael Matheson, but what I'm concentrating on is making sure we're supporting the NHS through its recovery."

Tory MSP Craig Hoy said Mr Yousaf's "pathetic attempts to make a virtue of standing by disgraced Michael Matheson over the iPad scandal" underlined his "weak leadership and appalling lack of judgment."