Post-legislative Scrutiny: The Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016
About the inquiry
Section 50 of the Lobbying Act makes provision for a committee of the Parliament to review the operation of the Act from when the duty to register came into force up to 12 March 2020. In carrying out the review, the Act provides that the committee must:
- take evidence from such persons as it considers appropriate;
- draft a report;
- consult on a draft report and any recommendations it makes; and
- prior to publishing its final report, have regard to any representations made to the committee on the draft report, and its recommendations.
Call for Evidence
The Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee launched a call for written evidence as part of its scrutiny of the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 (the 2016 Act). The call for views launched on 17 June 2020. The deadline was extended until the 28 August 2020.
Call for Views
Read The Written Submissions
SPICe Summary of Evidence (217KB pdf)
Oral evidence session 5 November 2020
The Committee took evidence from -
Peter Duncan, Convener, Association for Scottish Public Affairs; Gregor Scotland, Principal Policy Advisor CBI Scotland; Willie Sullivan, Senior Director Campaigns and Scotland, Electoral Reform Society, on behalf of the Scottish Alliance for Lobbying Transparency; Craig Wilson, Public Affairs Officer, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, and then from;
James Adams, Director, Royal National Insitute for Blind people (RNIB); Fergus Boden, Parliamentary Officer Friends of the Earth, on behalf of Scottish Environment LINK; Alison Douglas, Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland; Brian Simpson, Regulation Policy Executive Law Society of Scotland; Susan Webster, Head of Policy and Campaigns MND Scotland.
Please read the Official Report of 5 November 2020.
Meeting papers for 5 November 2020
Minutes from 5 November 2020
Oral evidence session 26 November 2020
The Committee took evidence from the Lobbying Registrar and Assistant Lobbying Registrar, followed by;
The Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Dougie Wands, Senior Policy Advisor and Al Gibson, Policy Advisor, Parliament and Legislation Team, Scottish Government.
Please read the Official Report 26 November 2020
Meeting papers for 26 November 2020
Minutes from 26 November 2020
Meeting correspondence and follow-up
Letter to Convener from Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, 18 December 2020 (164KB pdf)
Email from Lobbying Registrar to Clerks of PAPLS Committee, 18 December 2020 (66KB pdf)
Draft Report
The Committee is very grateful to all those who have so far contributed to its review of the Lobbying Act. As noted above, the Act has one further step, which is a requirement for the Committee to publish its draft report on its review and to consult with "such persons as it considers appropriate" on the draft report and any recommendations that it proposes to include in its final report.
Post-legislative Scrutiny Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 Draft Report (829KB pdf)
The Committee is consulting with those organisations which gave oral evidence to the Committee at its meeting on 5 November 2020. However, the Committee is also happy to hear views from anyone else who would like to contribute. If you would like to do so, please contact the clerking team so that they can explain how to submit your views - [email protected]. The deadline for responses is Tuesday 16 February 2021.
Responses to the Draft Report
Response from the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Scottish Government, 5 February 2021 (272KB pdf)
Response from the Lobbying Registrar, 16 February 2021 (241KB pdf)
Association of British Insurers, 14 February 2021 (32KB pdf)
Association for Scottish Public Affairs, 15 February 2021 (31KB pdf)
Paths For All, 15 February 2021 (56KB pdf)
Scottish Alliance for Lobbying Transparency, February 2021 (443KB pdf)
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, February 2021 (242KB pdf)
Shelter Scotland, February 2021 (31KB pdf)
Committee Report
The Post-legislative Scrutiny of the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 report