A new report has called for more frequent and detailed transparency releases from government departments as a way of addressing the lack of transparency in lobbying.
The report - Lobbying and Influence: post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 and related Matters - published by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) includes evidence provided by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). It concludes that transparency of lobbying would be improved by addressing the Government’s transparency releases so that they are published monthly, include a greater range of officials and Special Advisers, and should include contact made via WhatsApp and other instant messaging platforms.
The report rejects the CIPR’s call to extend the lobbying register and recommends “maintaining its limited focus on consultant lobbyists”. However, it continues that should concerns with government transparency releases not be addressed, “the case for a register of all lobbying activity should be revisited”. It does call for exemptions within the Lobbying Act, including the VAT exemption where registration of lobbying activity is not required by those not eligible to pay VAT, to be revoked.
CIPR President Rachael Clamp said "The conclusion of this report, that there is not enough transparency when it comes to lobbying, is correct. However, we’re disappointed in the committee’s approach to addressing this by failing to back calls for an expanded lobbying register. Many of these recommendations are welcome but ultimately fail to provide a level-playing field for the lobbying profession and continue to place the emphasis on being transparency on the lobbied rather than the lobbyist.
A one-stop-shop register that includes all lobbying activity, rather than a limited register of certain lobbyists in one place and department declarations in another is a fairer system, will be more useful, and more accessible."