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The public affairs industry is now set for a public register of lobbyists following publication of a government report last Friday. In its report, itself a response to the Public Administration Select Committee inquiry into lobbying, the Government has made it clear that the system of regulation now requires a register of lobbyists to ensure ethical behaviour and transparency.  The Government praised the CIPR and other industry players for its actions to improve regulation and believes that effective voluntary self-regulation is the preferred approach.

CIPR, working with the PRCA and the APPC, will now work to launch a new UK Public Affairs Council as soon as possible. This Council will bring together the three regulatory bodies and independents to create a meaningful register which distinguishes between those lobbyists who are ethical and transparent, and those who are not.

Ultimately all lobbyists, whether in-house or consultancy, will need to be on this register. CIPR GAG members will be ideally placed to benefit from the ethics and disciplinary regime established by CIPR, and they will be kept informed as the new regulatory regime is developed.

Click here to read the Government report on the PASC web site.