Government rules prevent baby Cameron accepting gifts

Somewhere in Downing Street is a pile of babygrows, nappies and toys worth hundreds of pounds.

But they cannot be given to David Cameron's new daughter, Florence, and it is hard to see to what use the civil servants, spin doctors and other residents of No 10 can put them.

They were sent by Marks & Spencer, the online retailer Huggababy and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi after the arrival of Florence in August.

Government rules stipulate that any gifts worth more than £140 have to be declared – and that any presents accepted by Government members have to be paid for.

The latest register of ministerial gifts, published last night, disclosed that the gifts from M&S and Huggababy were being "held by the department". The Crown Prince's gifts have been "part-puchased by the Prime Minister".

Viscount Rothermere, the chairman of Associated Newspapers, also dispatched champagne to celebrate the happy event. It is to be used for "official entertainment".

Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, also sent the Camerons a silver and glass ornament in August. It too is being "held by the department".

The register also shows the Camerons received two tickets from the London Palladium and Whoopi Goldberg to watch the American star in the stage version of Sister Act.