Parliamentary lobbying rules will be robustly enforced

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/09/house-of-lords-lobbying-rules-robustly-enforced

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Following your article about the lobbying links of hundreds of parliamentary staff (6 March), I thought it would be helpful to be clear about the House of Lords’ position. Paid advocacy is absolutely forbidden, both by members and their staff. The House of Lords has recently introduced a code of conduct which states: “Members’ staff shall not make use of their access to the member who sponsors their pass, to other members (of either house) or to the parliamentary estate to further the interests of an outside person or body from whom they have received or expect to receive payment or other incentive or reward.”

Let me be plain: the House of Lords takes lobbying very seriously. Where the rules are breached members or their staff are sanctioned. Similarly, the House of Lords has developed a robust system for investigating allegations of breach of the code of conduct. Complaints of breach are investigated by an independent commissioner for standards who decides whether a breach has been committed. Any sanction up to and including suspension is agreed by the house itself. We continually review our rules to ensure that they are fit for purpose. Indeed, both houses of parliament have recently passed the House of Lords (expulsion and suspension) bill, which would give the Lords the power to expel members.Lord SewelChairman of committees, House of Lords

• Your article highlights that only those lobbyists who communicate directly with ministers or permanent secretaries will have to register, but unfortunately you overlook the VAT exemption. Consultant lobbyists, who may be handling controversial issues, do not have to register if they do not pay VAT. It would most likely also exempt those MPs’ staff who were the subject of your analysis. This could also exempt a number of ex-MPs after the general election in May, who set themselves up as lobbyists to cash in on their contacts, but who will not have to register for VAT until their taxable earnings reach £81,000. This does not begin to address the estimated 80% of the lobbying industry who work “in-house”, including those who serve the interests of major corporations, charities, NGOs, trade unions, churches, landlords and landowners, who are explicitly exempt from the legislation. Parliament should re-examine this legislation and ask if the register it created meets a reasonable test in terms of public confidence.Phil MorganDeputy chief executive, Chartered Institute of Public Relations