Committee gets straight to work as Lobbying Bill published

The Lobbying (Scotland) Bill was published today, and was immediately followed by a call for evidence from Holyrood's Standards, Procedures & Public Appointments Committee.

The Scottish Government's bill, which aims to increase transparency around lobbying, follows a public consultation earlier this year and an inquiry by the committee. It will establish a register of lobbying activity of paid consultant and in-house lobbyists, with an obligation on organisations to register following their lobbying of MSPs or ministers.

Registration will be triggered only when lobbying is done in exchange for payment, and not when carried out in the course of voluntary work or when done by an individual on his or her own behalf.

"Lobbying" as defined in the bill is confined to communications "made orally and in person", which at consultation stage was criticised as a weakness in its proposed scope.

Click here to access the bill and related papers.

In its call for evidence the committee asks for views on whether the bill is necessary and the establishment of a Lobbying Register desirable; whether the scope of the bill is correct and the definitions and exclusions clear; whether a “light touch, educative approach” with criminal offences only as a last resort is the right one; and whether there are any unforeseen consequences of the bill as drafted.

Click here to view the call for evidence. The closing date for responses is 30 November 2015.