Standards Committee, 14 Jun 2000

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 14, 2000

Official Report 154KB pdf

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Lobbying

Agenda item 3 is further consideration of the proposed inquiry into lobbying. Members should have in front of them a short issues paper, ST/00/10/3, which proposes an outline of the initial stages of our inquiry. Annexe A contains a draft questionnaire for distribution to all MSPs. I hope that all committee members have had a chance to read through the paper. If members are content, it is proposed that we send out the questionnaire to MSPs straight away, with a view to collecting responses before the summer recess. It is also proposed, if members agree, that the clerks place a notice in tomorrow's business bulletin to inform members of our consultation exercise on lobbying.

The questionnaire is a good idea. However, it will give a rough-and-ready guide, as MSPs may not be able to remember every approach that has been made to them, especially if they have had thousands of approaches.

We decided to make the questionnaire anonymous for several reasons. That was one of them.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton is right to say that, when we consider the results of the questionnaire—which is a good idea—we must bear in mind the fact that MSPs will often not be aware that they are being lobbied by lobbying companies, which will not be as clear as the questionnaire might suggest. We must temper our consideration of the results with that thought.

That point is well made. The questionnaire will give us a guide; that is all that it will give us. However, it is a starting point.

I will make two points on the questionnaire. First, it would be helpful if the paragraph on guidance—at the bottom of the first page of annexe A—was printed larger and in bold, because it conditions one's response to the document. It should jump out of the page. Moreover, we might want to say a tiny bit more in the section on background about why we decided to use the questionnaire, why we want the information and what our processes will be. That might be useful to the member who finds this on his desk.

Are members happy with the draft that we have produced for the business bulletin?

Members indicated agreement.

In part C of annexe A, we ask about attitudes to lobbying by organised interests. Question 8 asks:

"Do you perceive there to be any benefits associated with lobbying of MSPs by organised interests?"

What does that mean?

What do you think it means?

I do not know what it means. I would like someone to explain it to me.

I assume that it is asking about trade unions, voluntary organisations and other clearly identified lobbying interests.

I am concerned about the words

"Do you perceive there to be any benefits".

Members—including you, Tricia—have said that they do not see the need for commercial lobbying organisations. That was a negative approach, however. This question tries to draw out opinions on any benefits that there might be.

Lobbying organisations such as Oxfam, Shelter or the GMB might be useful to members.

Question 8 asks about the positive side, question 9 about the negative.

Could we make that a little clearer? If I am confused about the point of the question, others will be as well.

How could we do that?

I will have a word with the clerks about it.

Could we ask one question about voluntary organisations and trade unions and another about professional lobbying organisations? They are distinct types of organisation.

I suggest that we have a part to ask about organisations that are not professional lobbying firms as well as one to ask about professional lobbying firms.

We will include examples of the kinds of organisation that we have in mind. That was a sensible and helpful suggestion, Karen.

I am sick of being sensible.

In the list of organisations in question 4 in part B, "other" should be inserted as an option, because there are other forms of lobbying. Newspapers can lobby, for example. They have lobbied MPs to buy cars of which most of the parts were made in Britain. That could be interpreted as a form of commercial lobbying. In America, press campaigns are included under the heading of lobbying.

Under the list of examples, there is a space for people to specify which other kinds of organisations, if any, they have been lobbied by.

That is fine, then.

We should make members of our party groups aware that this questionnaire is coming and encourage them to fill it in and send it back.

If everyone is happy with the points that have been made, the clerks will adjust the questionnaires appropriately and we will publish the draft in the business bulletin tomorrow. Is that agreed?

Members Indicated agreement.