Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes missed the Scottish National Party (SNP) annual conference this week due to prior commitments.
Ms Forbes’s office said the MSP could not attend the party’s flagship political gathering, which took place in Aberdeen on October 15-17, due to existing engagements overseas.
In a statement prior to the conference, a spokesperson for Ms Forbes said: “Kate is overseas due to longstanding engagements, which were arranged prior to conference dates being announced.
“She will be following the conference online and is looking forward to the First Minister’s keynote address along with other important contributions from members.
“Kate continues to assist constituent enquiries and phone calls as usual, and is looking forward to holding another surgery in Fort William before the end of the year.”
The spokesperson added that contrary to many media reports, this was not the first conference from which Ms Forbes had been absent: maternity leave meant she missed last year’s event, and there had been another occasion before the Covid pandemic.
Ms Forbes addressed the conference in 2021 when she was Finance and Economy Secretary.
This year’s conference is the first since Humza Yousaf was named First Minister in March after he won a leadership race against Ms Forbes and Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Regan.
Ms Forbes is believed to have turned down a role as Rural Affairs Secretary in Mr Yousaf’s government.
Mr Yousaf described the conference as the party’s most important in years, and is seeking to reset the party’s course towards independence.