Former health secretary Michael Matheson has said he is “glad to be back” in parliament after serving a 27 day ban over an iPad bill of almost £11,000.

Mr Matheson gave a brief statement to journalists as he returned to Holyrood for the SNP’s weekly parliamentary group meeting.

The suspension came after he racked up the roaming bill on a parliamentary device while on a family holiday to Morocco over Christmas 2022.

He was handed a record punishment in May after MSPs also voted for his salary to be removed for 54 days.

Mr Matheson initially said the device was used solely for work purposes before later confessing his teenage sons had used it as a wifi hotspot to stream football on the holiday.

The former health secretary apologised and paid back the bill before resigning from government in February.

In a brief statement to journalists, he said: “I’m glad to be back and I look forward to continuing to represent my constituents.”

He refused to answer questions from journalists, including on whether he would seek re-election in 2026.

Mr Matheson faced calls to resign as Falkirk West MSP but has repeatedly said he will continue to represent the constituency.

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After the suspension in May, he said: “I apologise and regret that this situation occurred. I acknowledge and accept the decision of Parliament.

“I also note that Parliament has called for the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body to carry out an independent review of the Parliament’s complaints process to restore integrity and confidence in the Parliament and its procedures, which I hope will be progressed.

“I look forward to continuing to represent the people of Falkirk West, as I have done for many years.”

Sir Keir Starmer was among those calling for the introduction of a recall petition to be introduced in Holyrood which would give constituents the chance to remove rule-breaking MSPs from office.

The Westminster-style power saw former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier removed from office in this way following Covid rule-breaking.

Mr Matheson’s punishment was recommended by Holyrood’s standards committee, with MSPs then voting for them by 64 votes to zero.

All 63 SNP MSPs abstained, instead putting forward an amendment highlighting concerns that the investigation had been “prejudiced” by comments made about Mr Matheson by committee member and Scottish Tory MSP Annie Wells.

First Minister John Swinney has also backed Mr Matheson, telling journalists earlier this year that the former health secretary had “made a mistake”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: “From the very start of this scandal, the SNP government repeatedly tried to twist the narrative and dodge consequences. It smacked of arrogance.

“John Swinney had plenty of opportunities to do the right thing. Instead, he undermined the findings of the Standards Committee and chose to back his friend.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want there to be a right for people to recall their MSP in cases of proven misconduct. That’s how we can end the SNP’s culture of secrecy and fix our broken politics.”