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Summary of Investigation – Abzed

Published on: Wednesday 3rd August 2022

Organisation or Person Investigated

Abzed

Matter(s) Investigated

Whether Abzed is an unregistered consultant lobbyist

Registrar’s Decision

Abzed has not conducted consultant lobbying activities

Summary of Rationale for Decision

This decision is based on substantive assurances from Abzed that it has not communicated with Ministers, Permanent Secretaries or equivalents on behalf of paying clients. Under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014, only communications with Ministers, Permanent Secretaries or equivalents are registerable.

Chronology

DateAction
6 JuneFormal letter from the Registrar to Abzed giving background on the requirement for registering and asking if their activities fall within the criteria for registration. In particular, but not limited to, case studies on the Abzed website and its offer to persuade politicians.
16 JuneEmail from Abzed to the Registrar requesting more detail; the grounds for investigation; and questions about declaring clients on the register.
21 JuneLetter from the Registrar in response to Abzed’s email of 16 June and extending the deadline for response to 28 June.
1 JulyEmail from Abzed to the Registrar explaining that the large majority of firms Abzed work with do not require direct communications with Ministers and Permanent Secretaries; and giving further information and assurances that no registrable communications had been made in relation to two case studies on the Abzed website that the Registrar had asked about on 6 June.
12 JulyLetter from the Registrar to Abzed referencing the use of ‘large majority’ in the previous email and asking if Abzed can confirm that no employee or representative of Abzed has communicated with a Minister on behalf of clients.
26 JulyEmail from Abzed explaining that the large majority reference relates to other consultancies, not Abzed’s clients.
3 AugustLetter from the Registrar concluding the investigation

3 August 2022

Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists

office@orcl.gov.uk