Guidance update – August 2020

The Registrar is today publishing an updated guidance document on registration and Quarterly Information Returns, which reflects updates to Pre-registration quarter, Declaring a code of conduct, and Updating register information and contact details. The updated guidance can be found here.

The Register – from the beginning

These files contain data on all those who are currently or have previously been registered, and the clients which they have declared to us each quarter, since the Register of Consultant Lobbyists began in 2015.

Last updated 7 May 2020.

Note from the new Registrar

As the newly appointed Registrar I am looking forward to working with all those with
an interest in the transparency of the work of consultant lobbyists with Ministers and
Permanent Secretaries on behalf of clients.

My core statutory focus is on maintaining an accurate register and I am encouraged
that the overwhelming majority of those who are required to register or provide
information do so. The Office of the Registrar and I will support compliance by being
responsive to enquiries and by providing clear guidance and I hope to use my
enforcement powers rarely.

I would like to thank my predecessor Alison White for her impressive work since
2014 in establishing Office of the Registrar and the register and then maintaining it
so effectively.

Harry Rich

Newsletter – September 2018

Personal note from the Registrar

This is my final week as Registrar – I will be standing down at the end of my term on 21 September. I will be handing over to my successor later this week, so there will be no discontinuity.

I would like to thank all registrants and stakeholders whom I have worked with during the past four years – it has been a pleasure and privilege working with you.

New team in the Office

There has been a refresh of the team in the Office, now led by Tony Bellringer. Tony is supported by Glenn Reed, Roger Winter and Ajeet (Sunny) Singh, though the overall staff complement remains the same.

Compliance guidance

This week, I am issuing a minimal refresh of my compliance guidance – I have updated for various changes (for example, in other guidance) to keep it current, and corrected a number of minor errors and typos. There are no changes of substance in the refreshed guidance.

Register update

The Registrar continues to keep multiple nil returns under constant review and regularly meets organisations who persistently file nil returns. The key issue for consideration is whether those organisations are likely to conduct relevant communications within the foreseeable future – the onus is on those organisations to convince the Registrar that this is the case.

The Registrar continues to conduct investigations to satisfy herself that all those organisations which should be on the Register, are indeed on it. Any information from registrants and stakeholders which inform those investigations is always welcomed, and acted upon.

Statement of Accounts

I laid my Statement of Accounts before Parliament on 19 July 2018, and a copy is available on my website, to be found at: https://registrarofconsultantlobbyists.org.uk/2017-2018-statement-of-accounts/