UK Public Affairs Council

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The UK Public Affairs Council (UKPAC) is an umbrella organisation established in July 2010 with the aim of "promoting independent regulation of the public affairs sector"; to be achieved by the means of the quarterly publication of a voluntary register of lobbyists. UKPAC was formed by representatives from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) and the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).

Background

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) "sees UKPAC as an opportunity to create a meaningful register which distinguishes between those [lobbyists] who are ethical and transparent, and those who are not".

Objectives

The aim of the UK PAC is to promote public confidence in those who, in a professional capacity, undertake lobbying by encouraging and sustaining high ethical standards, transparency and accountability amongst those whom the Council regulates. It will offer a system of voluntary regulation to ensure that all those involved in lobbying institutions of government can be governed by a clear set of principles, underpinned by enforceable Codes of Conduct. Further, it will assist public confidence by establishing a publicly accessible Register of those involved in lobbying, indicating the organisations on whose behalf they are lobbying.

Definition of lobbying

UKPAC employ the following definition of lobbying:

Lobbying means in a professional capacity, attempting to influence, or advising those who wish to influence, the UK Government, Parliament, the devolved legislatures or administrations, regional or local government or other public bodies on any matter within their competence. This covers members who spend all or a significant amount of their time (for example at least 20% of their professional working time) on lobbying activities. Members who do less than 20% may register at their discretion.

People

Implementation Group

Sir Philip Mawer Chairman
Mark Adams (Lobbyist) Deputy Chairman

Council Board

Independent members

Elizabeth France Chairman
Sir George Kidd
Roger Sands

Industry representatives

Francis Ingham of PRCA
Keith Johnston of CIPR
Gill Morris of APPC

Governance

The following details of governance are outlined in the UKPAC Terms of Reference:

The UK Public Affairs Council will be chaired on a Non-Executive, part-time basis by an independent person of high standing drawn from outside the lobbying industry but with experience relevant to the industry. The Chairman will be joined on the UK PAC Board by two further part-time, independent members, plus six representatives from the lobbying industry, initially comprising two representatives each from the APPC, CIPR and PRCA. Each member body will have one vote. Any decisions taken by the Board will require a majority separately amongst the independent members and amongst the members representing the industry. Other member bodies will be eligible to join, subject to satisfying the tests set out below, and will then be entitled to nominate representatives on the Board.

Funding

UKPAC is funded by the three founding bodies.

Self-regulation or a statutory register?

'Politicians for Hire', damage limitation and manifesto pledges

Following in the wake of the March 2010 Dispatches exposé - in which senior politicians were recorded offering to help the private sector lobby the government - the Labour government made an announcement on the 22nd of March outlining its commitment to the introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists. In an interview for Sky News, Foreign Secretary David Miliband remarked that "the Labour manifesto is going to say more about the need for a statutory register of the lobbying industry, because there is absolutely no room for the sort of innuendo or promises that seem to have been floated in this case". Cabinet Office minister Angela Evans Smith wrote to Sir Philip Mawer, Chairman of UKPAC's Implemementation Group, saying:

As you know we have taken the decision to have a statutory register of lobbyists. The work that you and the Council are doing to produce a voluntary register will help in the work of delivering a statutory register and I would encourage those who are considering signing up to the voluntary register to do so.

Writing in Public Affairs News, Mark Adams (Deputy Chairman of UKPAC's Implementation Group) responded, arguing that:

[T]here are some serious issues about a statutory register that must be addressed. How will the enforcement of a statutory register be paid for? If, as some have argued, it is to be paid for by the 'lobbying industry', it will introduce an astonishing tax on democracy. Any organisation wishing to make its case to government or Parliament will first have to register and pay a fee to exercise its right to lobby. Is that desirable?.

Adams adds that "Unlike some of the proposals that have emerged since last weekend from government and others, the PAC is not a knee-jerk reaction to unfavourable headlines. It is the product of careful and measured consideration over many months." This sentiment is echoed elsewhere within the industry. Francis Ingham of PRCA describes Labour's response as "A shameful, utterly cynical response. One of the worst examples I’ve ever seen of naked politics dressed up as moral outrage." Similarly, CIPR's Iain Anderson argues that Labour "spun this as a lobbying scandal when there were no lobbyists to be seen". Tom Spencer from the European Centre for Public Affairs (ECPA) argues that any commitment to a statutory register "should not have been made on such a ‘shoot from the hip’ basis". Alastair Ross from the Association for Scottish Public Affairs (ASPA) suggests that Labour's proposal was "knee-jerk and misses the point". Charles Lewington of Hanover concurs that Labour's plan is "a knee-jerk reaction". Several public affairs professionals do, however, back statutory legislation; such as Eben Black of DLA Piper UK LLP Global Government Relations and Chris Whitehouse of The Whitehouse Consultancy.

Whereas Francis Ingham of PRCA argues that the Conservatives are "right in resisting the temptation to match Labour’s volte face", Alastair Ross from the Association for Scottish Public Affairs (ASPA) argues that the Conservative position "has changed with the public mood".

Opinions inside the industry

Despite UKPAC favouring self-regulation, in a ComRes poll of 285 public affairs practioners published by Public Affairs News in June 2010, it was revealed that the majority of lobbyists now support a statutory register. 62% of respondents were found to support the statutory register, with 20% undecided and 17% opposed. Furthermore, of those polled, only 55% were 'familiar' with UKPAC; with 53% believing that UKPAC still has time to play a role within the industry. Commenting on the findings, the APPC remarked that:

[T]he results reflect the wide array of views among PA professionals and, indeed, APPC members. We believe that self-regulation works and that UKPAC has a vital role to play in extending transparency across the wider industry. Nevertheless, the APPC is not necessarily antagonistic towards a statutory system of registration.

The PRCA, on the other hand, responded saying that "We are loathe to be dismissive of any poll, but the picture it paints of industry enthusiasm for government action bears little relation to the reality we see. The simple, settled majority view of the industry is that self-regulation works."

Making concessions: a revised role for UKPAC?

The commitment to a statutory register become one of the concessions made by the Conservatives in securing their coalition with the Liberal Democrats. As PR Week journalist David Singleton observes, UKPAC "is keen to exert influence over ministers' plans for a statutory register of lobbyists by coming up with the first detailed blueprint for such a scheme." Accordingly, CIPR's Iain Anderson remarks that "It is good news that... UKPAC [is welcomed] as the statutory model."

Membership register

It is expected that UKPAC's web-based register will be launched in autumn 2010. In an interview with PR Week, Elizabeth France commented that her organisation's aim is "a smooth transition between the self-regulating approach and the introduction of a statutory register. That will require us to understand the scope of the register envisaged by the Government and to see how far we can reach agreement to anticipate it".

Contact, Resources, Notes

Contact

Address: The Secretary
Willow House
Willow Place
London
SW1P 1JH
Website: http://www.publicaffairscouncil.org.uk/

Resources

• UKPAC Launch Press Release
• Terms of Reference for the UK Public Affairs Council

Notes

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