Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to amend the meaning of consultant lobbying to include communications with special advisers, as allowed for in section 2(5) of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.

The Register complements the existing government transparency regime whereby Ministers and Permanent Secretaries proactively publish quarterly details of their meetings with external organisations and individuals. The Government has no plans to increase the scope of the Register. It is usual practice to publish an updated Code of Conduct for Special Advisers after an election. The updated Code, published on 15 October, does not change the role and powers of special advisers.