Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015

12.

Returns to be made by registered persons

12. (1) A registered person shall, after the end of each relevant period but not later than the relevant date, make to the Commission, in such manner and form as the Commission may require, a return covering the relevant period.

(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply to a registered person whose entry on the Register has been marked under section 11(4) with a statement indicating that the person has permanently ceased to carry on lobbying activities.

(3) If the registered person has not carried on any lobbying activities in the period covered by the return, the return shall state that fact.

(4) If the registered person has carried on lobbying activities in the period covered by the return, the return shall state—

(a) where any of the communications concerned were made on behalf of another person (in this section referred to as a “client”), the relevant information relating to the client,

(b) the designated public officials to whom the communications concerned were made and the body by which they are employed or in which they hold any office or other position,

(c) the subject matter of those communications and the results they were intended to secure,

(d) the type and extent of the lobbying activities carried on,

(e) the name of the individual who had primary responsibility for carrying on the lobbying activities,

(f) the name of each person who is or has been (whether before or after the passing of this Act) a designated public official employed by, or providing services to, the registered person and who was engaged in carrying on lobbying activities, and

(g) any such other information relating to carrying on lobbying activities as may be prescribed under subsection (7).

(5) In subsection (4)(a) “relevant information”, in relation to a client, means—

(a) the client’s name,

(b) the address (or principal address) at which the client carries on business or (if there is no such address) the address at which the client ordinarily resides,

(c) the client’s business or main activities,

(d) any e-mail address, telephone number or website address relating to the client’s business or main activities,

(e) any registration number issued to the client by the Companies Registration Office, and

(f) (if a company) the address of the client’s registered office.

(6) The return shall contain details of any change during the relevant period in the information entered on the Register under section 10(1)(a) in relation to the person by whom it is made.

(7) The Minister may prescribe for the purposes of subsection (4)(g) that a return is to include information as to—

(a) the name of any person involved in carrying on lobbying activities (other than the person who has primary responsibility),

(b) any other matters which appear to the Minister to be appropriate having regard to the public interest in there being an appropriate level of transparency in relation to carrying on lobbying activities and in opening up the carrying on of lobbying activities to public scrutiny.

(8) A return shall contain a statement by the person by whom it is made that the information contained in it is correct.