Some meetings between MSPs and the groups lobbying them were not declared for years 👇
CORPORATIONS, businesses and charities lobbying MSPs and ministers to influence Scotland’s laws have reported thousands of meetings later than the six-month statutory deadline, The Ferret can reveal.
Meetings made public more than two years late included companies lobbying MSPs during the draft stages of a new law. Details of the meetings were published only after the bill had passed in parliament. The Tied Pubs Act gives pub tenants more rights over their tenancy but Heineken argues it has a damaging impact on its business. The law is currently paused, after it was blocked in court by two other major pub chain owners, Greene King and Punch Taverns.
They said: “We understand our obligations under the Lobbying Act and our people always aim to act in accordance with it, regularly submitting to the register. We are looking in more detail at the specific meetings referred to in the report.”OUR analysis also found a delayed report of Norwegian energy company Statkraft meeting an MSP about Statkraft’s business activities, even though its plans weren’t public at the time.
Mundell said: “Challenges progressing this particular project and wider issues securing agreement from NATS to wind farms within Dumfries and Galloway were widely known and were also being raised by community representatives in Upper Nithsdale at the time. They also show that two thirds of all registered lobbying organisations have breached the lobby law at least once. Heineken has been found in breach four times and Statkraft twice.
He added: “Delayed lobbying registrations prevent the public from determining whether or not legislation is being made for the benefit of Scotland or merely for those lobbyists.” He said: “The register and the law are clearly failing when companies are reporting meetings more than three years late. These reporting delays stop timely scrutiny of the influence lobbying meetings are having on key government decisions.”
In the meantime, TI suggested registrants report more frequently and as soon as possible after the lobbying.
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