Health Secretary Shona Robison has been accused of showing "gross discourtesy" to the Scottish Parliament for telling the press about £100 million of health spending before informing MSPs.
Holyrood Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick criticised Ms Robison for revealing the funding to tackle delayed discharges in a press release and photocall in Dalkeith this morning, rather than in the Holyrood chamber.
Ms Marwick, a former SNP MSP, challenged the SNP Health Secretary on the matter but said she found her response to be "unsatisfactory".
The Presiding Officer reminded ministers that major policy announcements must be made to Parliament first, and threatened to haul ministers before Parliament regardless of their other obligations if it happens again.
In a statement to Holyrood, Ms Marwick said: "At this morning's bureau meeting, James Kelly, the Labour business manager, expressed concern at the announcement made this morning to the media and not to the Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport on funding to tackle delayed discharge.
"I asked the minister for parliamentary business to investigate the matter and come back to me. I have subsequently spoken to the minister and I find the response to be unsatisfactory.
"All members will be aware that the good practice guidance on announcements by the Scottish Government states that major policy announcements should always be made to the Parliament. They should not enter the public domain through any other route.
"While I accept that the Government is entitled to exercise its judgement on making announcements, this was clearly an announcement of significant public policy and should have been made to the Parliament in the first instance.
"In addition, the issue of delayed discharges has been of great concern to many members over the last few months.
"I therefore consider it to be a gross discourtesy to this Parliament and its members that the announcement was not made here first.
"When a similar situation arose last year, I indicated that it was my expectation that the Government should reflect on its actions. I am very disappointed that this does not appear to have happened.
"I would therefore again ask the Government to reflect on its actions today and the consequences for ministers that will flow from similar actions in future.
"I also advise the Government that if a request for an emergency question had been made this morning, I would have accepted it and I would have obliged the Cabinet Secretary to be here in this chamber in person regardless of her other commitments. Be in no doubt that I will do so in the future."
Mr Kelly said: "Shona Robison has shown contempt for Parliament.
"The SNP Government are not behaving like responsible democratic parliamentarians and are just doing as they please.
"Government has a responsibility to Parliament and we have seen the SNP time and again ignore the rules.
"Shona Robison's lieutenant, Joe Fitzpatrick, this morning showed a worrying lack of respect for the Scottish Parliament.
"Shona Robison must appear in the chamber as soon as possible and explain why she allowed this breach of protocol to occur. I expect this is an embarrassment that Nicola Sturgeon could do without."
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