CIPR welcomes government’s urgent review of lobbying
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations has welcomed the news that the Prime Minister has formally instructed the Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) to conduct an urgent review into lobbying transparency.
In a letter to the EIC chair, the prime minister confirmed the terms of reference for the review that include “whether the current arrangements for transparency around lobbying are sufficient, including the government's publication of monthly and quarterly integrity data; and the Register of Consultant Lobbying”. The review will also address the publication of financial interests for Ministers and senior government officials and the current Business Appointment Rules.
The review follows the government announcement last month that it would "look closely" at the legislation surrounding transparency around lobbying following revelations relating to the relationship between Peter Mandelson’s and Jeffrey Epstein.
The CIPR's Lobbying for Good Lobbying campaign is calling for:
- A register of all lobbying activity that includes in-house lobbying as well as consultant lobbying
- The lobbying of special advisers and senior civil servants to be included in the register
- The removal of the VAT exemption and the incidental lobbying exemption
Today's announcement is a moment we have worked towards for years. The Prime Minister's decision to order a comprehensive review of lobbying transparency is long overdue. We are thrilled to see it has finally arrived. The review will only be worthwhile if it leads to reform. The CIPR will engage fully with the process and we will push for this to not become another exercise in delay or a mere tweaking of the existing rules. The public's trust in politics has been eroded scandal by scandal, each one enabled by rules that were never truly fit for purpose. We have the opportunity for that to now end.
