A trio of bodies impacted by the government’s moves to establish a lobbying statutory register have come forward with their own definition in a bid to influence the bill whilst in its draft form.
The APPC, CIPR & PRCA have collaborated on the definition in a bid to develop a ‘workable and acceptable’ definition of lobbying which they believe will determine whether or not it ‘genuinely increases transparency in lobbying in line with the Government’s stated aim’.
In a statement the organisations said: “The definition proposed supports the common position between the three organisations that a register of lobbyists should include everyone who seeks to influence public policy and law, with a number of common sense exemptions. We also want to see an approach from the Government that provides a greater degree of certainty about their proposals.”
Michael Burrell, Chairman, APPC, said: "The key is 'universality': firstly any statutory lobbying register must be universal in terms of the lobbyists it covers: ensuring all lobbyists operating in the UK both in-house and agency are included in new legislation. Secondly, the definition of those who are lobbied must also be universal - in other worlds ensuring that central, devolved and local government are all covered.”
The proposed definition has been sent to the Minister responsible for the lobbying register.