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Over the past five years, staff within the Welsh government have accepted a variety of gifts, ranging from sports tickets to hampers, chocolates, flowers, and vouchers. These include entry to international rugby, football, and cricket matches, as well as items such as champagne, wine, and food hampers. Notably, attending the England versus New Zealand cricket match in September 2023 was valued at over £1,000. Additionally, two £100 One4All gift vouchers, redeemable at numerous retailers including restaurants and fashion stores, were accepted.
Although the Welsh government does not publicly share its register of gifts accepted by civil servants, BBC Wales obtained details of such gifts over the last five years through a Freedom of Information request. Among the gifts listed were flowers valued between £30 and £85, as well as tickets to various rugby internationals. For example, two tickets to the Wales versus Scotland Six Nations match were priced at £300 each, while tickets to other rugby matches like Wales versus Australia and Wales versus Fiji were valued between £50 and under £200. Interestingly, one entry mistakenly recorded tickets worth £250 each for an “Australia v Wales football match” on March 24, 2022—the date Wales actually beat Austria 2-1 in the World Cup play-off.
In addition to hospitality at sporting events, a wide assortment of other gifts has been accepted, including a bottle of Penderyn whisky and rum valued at £64 that was later donated to charity, and a ticket to the World Supercross Grand Prix worth £180. Other recorded gifts feature meals such as lunches and dinners, a wooden building set, several food hampers, Christmas chocolates, an ornamental globe, small bottles of wine accompanied by ornamental elephants, a bottle of Moët champagne, an engraved vase, and even a robotic dog used for pet therapy. Furthermore, accommodation, travel, and attendance costs valued just under £1,000 were covered for an official speaking at an international health conference in Madrid earlier this year, with similar hospitality and travel expenses, totaling approximately £500, incurred for another official’s participation at a nursing and health leadership forum.
Welsh government guidance advises civil servants against accepting gifts or hospitality that might create a suspicion of conflict between their official responsibilities and personal interests. Such guidance requires staff to politely decline gifts unless they fall under specific exceptions, like those under £20 in value or reasonable and proportionate offers such as work-related lunches. Importantly, any gift exceeding £20 must be declared to a line manager, regardless of acceptance. Among gifts accepted over the past three years was a book commemorating the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding. While most civil servant gifts remain confidential, the travel and hospitality expenses of senior Welsh government officials, including the permanent secretary and director generals, are publicly disclosed. The Welsh government employs nearly 6,000 staff, and all members of the Senedd, including ministers, must maintain registers of interests that include gifts and hospitality received
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