A
BILL
TO
Establish a public register of organisations and individuals that carry out
lobbying of Parliament, the Government and local authorities for financial
gain; to introduce a code of conduct for those on the register; to introduce
sanctions for non-registration and non-compliance with the code of conduct;
and for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
(1)
There shall be a register of organisations and individuals who carry out
lobbying of Parliament, the Government and local authorities for financial
gain, which shall be made public.
(2)
5There shall be a Lobbying Registration Council to supervise the register and
keep it up to date.
(3)
The Council shall be funded by fees charged to those organisations and individuals who
register.
(4)
The Secretary of State may by regulations provide for the appointment of the
10Council and its proceedings, the particulars to be entered on the register, and
the fees to be charged, which shall be calculated to cover the costs of the
Council.
(5)
Those organisations and individuals which are included on the register shall,
at intervals of no more than three months, provide details for the register of the
15names of clients for whom they have lobbied.
An organisation which or individual who lobbies Parliament, the Government
or a local authority for financial gain without being registered shall be liable on
summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.
Commercial Lobbyists (Registration and Code of Conduct) BillPage 2
(1)
The Council shall prepare a code of conduct with which those included on the
register shall comply, and may produce revised codes from time to time.
(2)
The Secretary of State shall give statutory effect to the code and any revised
5code by order.
(3)
Any code shall provide that nobody may act undertake lobbying who holds a
pass conferring access to the Houses of Parliament other than as a spouse or
civil partner of a member or former member of either House of Parliament.
(4)
An organisation or person included on the register which contravenes the
10provisions of the code of conduct shall be liable on summary conviction to a
fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.
(1)
For the purpose of this Act “lobbying” means any activity carried out in the
course of a business or employment which are undertaken for financial gain
15and are designed to influence the Government of the United Kingdom,
Parliament, any local authority in England or any member or employee of any
of those bodies in formulating its official policy.
(2)
“Lobbying” does not include activities undertaken in the course of their duties
by Members of either House of the United Kingdom Parliament or of any local
20authority in England.
Orders and regulations under this Act shall be made by statutory instrument
and may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and
approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.
(1)
This Act may be cited as the Commercial Lobbyists (Registration and Code of
Conduct) Act 2013.
(2)
This Act shall come into force at the expiration of the period of six months
beginning on the day on which it is passed.
(3) 30This Act shall extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.