CIPR writes to Lords ahead of Code of Conduct debate

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has written to members of the House of Lords calling for a ban on peers taking on paid political consultancy work, ahead of Wednesday's debate on their code of conduct. 

The Review of the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Code of Conduct follows weeks of headlines and revelations that 10% of peers have been found to receive payments for advising outside interests on political and policy matters. The letter, below, sent to peers that are due to speak during the debate, calls for:

1. A ban on peers taking on paid political consultancy work
2. A reformed Lobbying Act
3. Compulsory training on ethical lobbying
4. Tougher enforcement and regular audits
5. A review of remuneration for working peers

CIPR letter to Lords

CIPR Briefing: Review of the House of Lords Code of Conduct

The House of Lords plays a crucial role in making legislation, scrutinising  government policy, and holding ministers to account. However, over the last few weeks, research has highlighted that 10% of peers have been found to receive payments for advising outside interests on political and policy matters.

While lobbying is a necessary function for a democratic system, it is impossible for an individual to ethically play the role of both lobbyist and legislator.

Lobbying and legislating is an inherent conflict of interest that risks damaging public trust and leads to accusations of putting private profit before public interest. The current Code of Conduct does require peers to declare financial interests and prohibits paid advocacy, but does little to stop members from actively using their privileged positions to push and inform commercial or interested agendas. Without stronger rules, public trust in the House of Lords will only erode further.

Effecting changes to the House of Lords Code of Conduct, which is currently outside the scope of the amendments considered for review, is necessary to ensure that an ethical firewall is once again placed between legislators and lobbyists.

What Needs to Change

To tackle this issue, we need reforms that ensure the Lords operates with transparency, integrity, and public trust at its core. In order to do so, the Lords should amend their code of conduct in the following way.

1. Ban peers from Paid Political Consultancy

Lords members should be prohibited from taking paid lobbying roles. The rules and definitions should align with existing Commons rules set out in the section entitled Lobbying for Reward or Consideration in the House of Commons Code of Conduct. A clear ban would remove any doubt over whether members are using their position for personal gain.

• The section External roles and participation in parliamentary proceedings should explicitly ban both paid advocacy and advisory roles for lobbying organisations. 
• Paragraph 24 (Parliamentary Advice and Services) should clarify that serving as an adviser to a lobbying or public affairs agency always breaches the Code of Conduct. 
• Paragraph 27 should explicitly state that Lords are expressly prohibited from providing political advice to companies they have a financial interest in. 
• The Guidance on dealing with lobbyists section should include a clear prohibition on accepting financial or material gain from lobbying agencies.

There are further measures outside the Code of Conduct which could improve standards and transparency in public life:

2. Reform the Lobbying Act

The current Lobbying Act fails to capture the full picture of lobbying activity, as it focuses narrowly on consultant lobbyists while leaving a significant gap in transparency around in-house lobbying as well as lobbying undertaken by Think Tanks, Trade Unions, charities and other organised groups. The CIPR advocates for reform that shifts the emphasis to the activity of lobbying rather than who is lobbying. Expanding the remit of the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL) to require all organisations engaging in lobbying to register their registerable interactions with members of the House of Lords would provide greater scrutiny over policy influence and help prevent hidden conflicts of interest. This fundamental reform would require primary legislative change and is essential to improving transparency and ethical standards in public life.

3. Compulsory Training on Ethical Lobbying

Many members of the Lords come from business, law, or other professional backgrounds, but they may not be fully aware of the ethical boundaries when it comes to lobbying. Mandatory training on lobbying rules, conflicts of interest, and best practices would give peers the knowledge they need to avoid improper behaviour. This will ensure members are equipped to engage with lobbyists in a way that meets the highest ethical standards.

4. Tougher Enforcement and Regular Audits

The House of Lords Commissioner for Standards should have greater powers to investigate and sanction members who breach lobbying rules. At the moment, enforcement actions have ranged in severity, ranging from required apologies to recommendations for suspension or expulsion. There should be clear guidance around what the punishments are for paid lobbying as well as regular reviews of the register of interest.

5. Review of remuneration for working Peers

Whilst we recognise the complexities of Reform of the House of Lords, we feel that the time is right to consider whether the practice of only offering an attendance allowance for our second Chamber is fit for purpose. If we are restricting the work that Peers can do as legislators, then we also should consider whether they should be paid a salary.

The public is already sceptical about an unelected second chamber—if members are seen to be profiting from their positions, that scepticism will only grow. Implementing these reforms is not about demonising lobbying or discouraging expert advice, it’s about ensuring that when lobbying happens, it’s done transparently and ethically. 

The upcoming debate on the House of Lords Code of Conduct is an opportunity to take decisive action. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) urges Lords members to back these changes and strengthen the rules that govern lobbying and financial interests in the chamber. By doing so, the Lords can demonstrate that it is serious about transparency, accountability, and restoring public confidence in its work. 

If the Lords fail to act, it risks further damaging its reputation and credibility. The choice is clear: clean up lobbying in the Lords, or risk losing public trust altogether.