Mitchell: ‘Staggering’ amount spent on gifts

An FOI request by Central Scotland MSP, Margaret Mitchell into the amount spent on gifts and prizes by various Executive Non-Departmental Government Bodies, Advisory Non-Departmental Government Bodies, executive agencies and other significant bodies has revealed that over the last five years (from 2006/07 – 2010/11) Scottish Enterprise has spent £1,241,036 on gifts and prizes such as quaichs, golf balls, umbrellas and cufflinks.

Commenting on the FOI results, Margaret Mitchell MSP said:

"Scottish Enterprise has spent a staggering amount on gifts and prizes over the last five years and its expenditure peaked in 2008/09 when they spent £331,233. More recently the sum has fallen but nevertheless, an extraordinary sum has been spent in total. And it is up to Scottish Enterprise to justify the expenditure as a marketing strategy which can be shown to have generated business interests and income in Scotland.

"Highlands and Islands Enterprise was the next biggest spender having spent over £87,000 in the last five years. In 2007/08 HIE Moray spent over £10,000 on promotional material including fleece jackets, LED key rings and mints, with an additional £5,265 spent by the Moray office that year on calendars.

"Somewhat surprisingly, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland, having spent over £16,000 on gifts and prizes over the last five years, was third highest in the list of spenders with gifts averaging £3288 a year.

"Historic Scotland's spend on gifts and prizes rose significantly from £208 in 2008/09 to £4894 in 2010/11. Expenditure in this year included a carved stone worth £2158.94 which it presented to the Pope during his visit to Scotland last September.

"Some respondents, such as the Scottish Qualifications Authority and VisitScotland stated that they could not provide information as although they have given gifts, they considered these gifts not to be of significant or substantial enough value and, therefore, these gifts had not been recorded.

"There were some examples of good practice and attempts to provide transparency and accountability with, for example, SEPA recording gifts in its annual accounts and similarly Scottish Water declaring all gifts over £100 in its Annual Accounts. The Scottish Prison Service cited an exemption as information relating to gifts was due to be published in their Statement of Expenditure within three months of my request."

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