Perks.

Remarkable insight into the world that our Government Ministers inhabit.

"POWER brings many perks, but a stuffed toy rat, curried mackerel and a papier mâché model of Alex Salmond were perhaps not what ministers would have put at the top of their wishlists. The gifts were among a treasure trove received by SNP ministers since the party came to power in May 2007.Mr Salmond, the First Minister, received signed football shirts, tea from India, cufflinks, a scarf, a collection of CDs, food and fish hampers from the House of Beauly and chocolates, all of which he gladly accepted."

Maybe they should just decline the gifts when they are proffered? Or even better make it clear they don't expect any gifts in the first place?

Looking a gift horse ...

Mr Smith was very interested in the details of the gifts which First Minister Alex Salmond has received since becoming FM last May and the details of which have now been released to the public.

"ALEX SALMOND has received 72 gifts since he became First Minister, ranging from books to paintings and alcohol to crystal. Under the ministerial code, he can retain gifts valued at less than £140 and has decided he will keep 29 of them "for private use".The Scottish Government gave details of the four gifts which were valued at over £140. They included a painting from artist John Lowrie Morrison and a plaque from Scottish Power.But it only gave general categories for the other 68 – 12 were alcohol, four were food, two were glass or crystal ware, three were ornaments, one was jewellery, seven were art, 16 were books, three were china, five were clothing and 15 were "outside these categories".

So much for open government then, but a pat on the back to Labour MSP Lord George Foulkes for managing to make the time to ask the question in between his two other jobs. But Mr Smith is intrigued to know what the items of clothing were. Some underwear from M&S perhaps, in a Jeremy Paxman stylie?

The Barca is open.

Mr Smith is willing to bet that when Alex Salmond decided to return from “over the water” of Westminster to contest the election for Scotland’s First Minister, his mind wasn’t really on the perks of Governmental office.

But Mr Smith notes that Mr Salmond has now managed to enrich the cultural life of the Scottish nation with another piece of sporting memorabilia, yes, a signed FC Barcelona football strip shirt which the First Minister apparently intends to “display” in his Official Residence of Bute House in Edinburgh.

Mr Smith looks forward to the “gift” being declared by the First Minister in the Executive’s Register of Ministerial Gifts which features lots of goodies received by previous Scottish Ministers including four cases of one of Scotland’s better known beers declared by the former First Minister in September 2005, and numerous bottles of whisky.

Gifts

At least we don’t have to worry about Alex Salmond donning the shirt to join in a five-a-side football match as Jack McConnell might have done.