Government 'gift budget' defended

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The government has defended planned spending of £8m on merchandise and promotional items such as mugs, hats, and Frisbees over the next four years.

Individual departments and public bodies use the goods to promote policy campaigns, to support public sector recruitment and to reward staff.

The Conservatives said the expenditure was "vanity marketing" when ministers should be saving every penny they can.

But a government spokesman said only "practical everyday items" were bought.

Government departments and public bodies spent £3m on merchandise last year.

This figure "fluctuated" from year to year, the spokesman said, with forecast spending of £2m a year between 2010 and 2014.

Among the items set to be ordered from 58 UK-only suppliers include promotional pens, key rings, travel wallets, tea towels, polo shirts, lip balms and "beanie" hats.

In a press release announcing the four-year contract, the Central Office of Information - which provides marketing and publicity services to government - said the firms would provide "high quality and cost-effective solutions" to departments and other public bodies.

The items would be used to "communicate issues" around public health, education and welfare campaigns as well as to support recruitment campaigns for the armed forces.

About £800,000 of this will be spent on gift vouchers for reward schemes for public sector employees.

The Conservatives said the expenditure was unnecessary and contradicted ministers' claims that they intended to slash the cost of central government to reduce the budget deficit.

A COI spokesman said it advised government departments on what items were "appropriate" for their needs but what was spent was a matter for individual departments.