SCOTTISH civil servants using public money to cover bowling trips, pottery lessons and luxury hotel visits makes for “uncomfortable reading,” an SNP minister admitted today as more spending details came to light. 

Data published by Scottish Labour earlier this week revealed senior officials had used government-issued credit-style cards to make almost 60,000 transactions over a three-year period, amounting to £14.2 million in total.

The revelations prompted Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf to instruct permanent secretary John Paul Marks — the most senior civil servant — to conduct a review into the spending between 2019 and 2022.

Senior staff can use the cards to purchase goods and services with a value of £5,000 per transaction, but the latest details reveal bowling trips and pottery lessons were among the away days for civil servants. 

The team-building exercises also included trips to escape rooms, crazy golf venues and the luxury Seamill Hydro hotel in Ayrshire.

Additionally, part of Edinburgh Zoo was hired out by staff, while further activities included the purchase of ping-pong balls, chocolate mice, play dough and paper planes. 

Eye-watering amounts of nearly £10 million were spent on VIP airport services for ex-first minister Nicola Sturgeon and her staff over the same period.

Appearing on Good Morning Scotland today, Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy Secretary Neil Gray said Mr Yousaf was right to order a review into the growing scandal. 

He said: “Some of the reports make for uncomfortable reading.

“The First Minister has instituted the review from the most senior civil servant in Scotland to ensure that the use of credit cards is appropriate and continues to have the stringent checks and balances in place.

“The use of credit cards by senior civil servants obviously is used by many other governments.

“There becomes greater public scrutiny and questions as to sometimes its appropriateness, so I think it is right that the First Minister has asked the permanent secretary to ensure public spending continues to be fair and balanced.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Spending through electronic purchasing cards is used to support government officials during their usual course of work such as on training, catering, room hire and one-off supplies.

“The cards are not for personal expenditure and there are robust authorisation and regular auditing arrangements in place to monitor their use.”