The Lobbying (Scotland) Act has come into force, which will see the University required to register certain engagements with policymakers at Holyrood on the new Lobbying Register.

The Act is designed to ensure transparency around what is known as “regulated lobbying” of Scottish Government ministers, MSPs, Special Advisers or the Permanent Secretary.  It is important that this process is undertaken centrally by the University to ensure compliance rather than done on an individual basis, and all face-to-face interaction with Holyrood policymakers should be reported to lobbying@glasgow.ac.uk, from where the University public affairs staff will collate information and report on to the relevant parliamentary authorities. 

To ensure that the relevant information is provided to the University, a template reporting document on interactions with Holyrood policymakers is available here, which all staff engaged in lobbying activity are asked to use when reporting their interactions to the above e-mail address.

Clearly, it is vitally important that the University complies in full with the legislation.  The full guidelines and a series of potential exemptions around certain types of interaction can be found here (pdf download). However, it is the view of the that any face-to-face interaction with relevant policymakers with any relevant MSPs or Special Advisers, or the Permanent Secretary, should be reported to the lobbying email address, from where a decision can be made by public affairs staff if it needs to be reported.

 

First published: 20 March 2018

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