Lobbying Bill deficient in scope, MSPs report
The Lobbying (Scotland) Bill could leave a “great deal” of important information unregistered, according to the Holyrood committee that reported today on the bill at stage 1.
By a majority, the Standards, Procedures & Public Appointment Committee takes the view that plans to include only face to face communication with ministers or MSPs in the proposed lobbying register make an artificial distinction. It recommends the Scottish Government reviews the potential impact of including all forms of communication in the bill.
The report raises a concern about the workability of exclusions in the bill for meetings initiated by MSPs or ministers, and calls on the Government to re-examine the practicality of this and consider removing or replacing at stage 2 of the bill.
The MSPs also recommend that ministers consider amendments to broaden the definition of regulated lobbying to include communications with other public officials, as well as ministers and MSPs.
There was universal support among witnesses for the principle that individuals lobbying on their own behalf are not required to register. With regard to organisations and those lobbying on their behalf, the committee endorses the Government’s approach that it is only necessary to register the details of lobbying if the lobbyist is paid – either as a professional lobbyist or as part of their job.
Committee convener Stewart Stevenson MSP commented: “The committee understands that the definition of lobbying was restricted to oral communication in order to focus the scope of information to be captured and to produce a low burden, light touch regime.
“Nevertheless, the majority view is that restricting registration to oral communications is an artificial distinction which could leave a great deal of information unregistered."