There is a reason sorry seems to be the hardest word.

To most observers it was immediately apparent that Mr Matheson had transgressed while on his summer holidays in Morocco and was attempting a cover up.

While many of us have been caught out by confusing roaming charges from time to time, to rack up a reported £11,000 bill takes some serious doing. It takes chutzpah to pass it off as "legitimate business".

When the news first broke, Scotland's presumably soon-to-be-former Health Secretary had a golden opportunity to put his hands up, come clean and say sorry.

As sore as it would be on his wallet, there was a clear need for him to reimburse government for his overheads there and then – which he has eventually done anyway.

Read more: A&E waits improve but calls to sack Michael Matheson continue

Yet as is so often the case, human nature clouds judgment. Whether you feel that was pure ego at play or simply a father’s protective instinct likely depends on which side of the political fence you sit.

What’s inarguable is that he missed that small window and found himself in the eye of a storm that was rapidly expanding and intensifying.

It’s hard to imagine where Mr Matheson and his government colleagues would be now if he had said the all-important S word when it first broke, while also immediately coughing up the cash.

The Herald: Fergus Robb says Michael Matheson missed that small window and found himself in the eye of a storm that was rapidly expanding and intensifying.Fergus Robb says Michael Matheson missed that small window and found himself in the eye of a storm that was rapidly expanding and intensifying. (Image: Holyrood PR)

Dragging it out led to further press scrutiny and ultimately exposed the truth: that his football-loving son had streamed the Old Firm match, at a cost much higher than a padded seat in hospitality.

It shouldn't just be Mr Matheson to take the learnings. For those in business, it can be extremely difficult to hold your hands up and publicly admit when you've done wrong.

You may have shareholders and lawyers screaming at you to hide, obfuscate and deny.

But nothing kills a story dead than an earnest, genuine and timely apology.

Saying sorry would have been the easiest fix for Scotland's soon-to-be-former Health Secretary – and his boss, the First Minister.

Nothing kills a story dead than an earnest, genuine and timely apology.

Humza Yousaf nobly stepped in to mop up the Health Secretary's spillage – to later discover the mess was far bigger than anticipated.

We work with all manner of Scottish businesses and institutions, and like everyone, they can make the odd mistake.

From the outset, when a firm or person is at genuine fault, apology is rule number one. Our second rule, in this instance, is almost just as important.

When crisis is on the horizon, it is paramount that those involved empty their heads of all and any information with even the tiniest relevance to the situation. That way, experts can assess the situation and avoid the incoming ‘deny, deny, deny’ blunder in the media from those involved.

Read more: Matheson refuses to quit over £11k data scandal

In this case, it would have likely avoided the First Minister himself stepping in as a human shield and probably protected the job of a man fighting to save his.

As the back and forth rumbles on between Michael Matheson and his opposition, there is no doubt that there was a clear ball-dropping somewhere along the media line – and by saying a simple five letter word, it would be on its way to being a distant memory.

Fergus Robb is Account Manager at Edinburgh communications agency, Holyrood PR.