Summary of Investigation – Royal Public Affairs (Royal PA)

Published on: Friday 2nd July 2021

Organisation or Person Investigated

Royal Public Affairs (Royal PA)

Matter(s) Investigated

Whether Royal PA is an unregistered consultant lobbyist

Registrar’s Decision

That Royal PA does not need to register, based on the information
provided, regarding its APPG support and Child Mental Health Charter work.

Summary of Rationale for Decision

Based on the information provided, Royal PA has not communicated with Ministers on behalf of the APPG, such contact has been made by the Chair of the APPG. Royal PA also declared meeting with Ministers on behalf of the Child Mental Health Charter (‘the Charter’). As this is a campaign developed by Royal PA and conducted on its own behalf, Royal PA’s work for the Charter is not registrable.

Chronology

Date	Action
16 June	Letter from Registrar giving background on the Act and asking Royal PA to consider whether they have undertaken relevant communications within the scope of the Act in general and with particular reference to the support provided to APPGs.
22 June	Response from Mr Royal, sharing a letter from his previous correspondence with ORCL in 2016. Mr Royal also requested advice regarding the Act in relation to work on the Charter, a campaign created by them, for which they now receive funding.
24 June	Email from ORCL advising the guidance has been updated since 2016 and to clarify Royal PA’s role in supporting the APPGs and governance of the Charter.
24 June	Response from Mr Royal stating contact with Ministers for APPGs is limited to sending emails to Ministers to speak at the APPG. More information given on the Charter.
24 June	Email from ORCL advising the APPG work is registrable and asking for further clarity on ownership of the Charter.
24 June	Response from Mr Royal clarifying that they are the decision makers for the Charter and stating they will join the Register.
24 June	Royal PA joins the Register
25 June	Email from Royal PA stating their earlier response was incorrect and providing evidence that communication to invite a Minister to address the APPG was from the APPG Chair.
25 June	Email from ORCL stating this was therefore not registrable, and asking if there were any instances of ministerial invitations coming from Royal PA.
25 June	Email from Royal PA confirms that no communications were made by Royal PA to Ministers on behalf of the APPG.
2 July	Registrar’s decision shared with Royal PA

2 July 2021

Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists

office@orcl.gov.uk