Summary of Investigation – Mr Steve Brine, MP

Published on: Friday 5th August 2022

Organisation or person investigated

Mr Steve Brine, MP (“Mr Brine”)

Matter(s) investigated

Whether Mr Brine is an unregistered consultant lobbyist

Registrar’s decision

Mr Brine is not an unregistered consultant lobbyist

Summary of rationale for decision

Payments to Mr Brine from Remedium Partners were not paid to a VAT registered entity. Under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 (“the Act”), registration under the Value Added Tax Act 1994 is one of three conditions that define consultant lobbying.

Chronology

Date	Action
25 July	Article in The Times suggesting that Mr Brine communicated with a Minister on behalf of Remedium Partners in 2020.
2 August	Formal letter from the Registrar to Mr Brine giving background on the requirement for registering and asking if his activities fall within the criteria for registration. In particular, but not limited to, communications in 2020 for Remedium Partners.
3 August	Email from Mr Brine to the Registrar setting out the reasons he does not believe that his communications constituted consultant lobbying, including that he is not VAT registered.
3 August	Email from the Office to Mr Brine asking him to confirm whether payments were made directly to him or to a VAT registered company.
3 August	Email from Mr Brine confirming that payments were paid direct to him and he is not VAT registered.
5 August	Letter from Registrar concluding the investigation.

5 August

Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists

office@orcl.gov.uk