Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015

PART 5

Miscellaneous and Supplementary

Restrictions on post-term employment as lobbyist

22. (1) A person who has been a relevant designated public official shall not—

(a) carry on lobbying activities in circumstances to which this section applies, or

(b) be employed by, or provide services to, a person carrying on lobbying activities in such circumstances,

during the relevant period except with the consent of the Commission.

(2) In this section—

“relevant designated public official” means a person who is a designated public official by virtue of paragraph (a), (e) or (f) of section 6 (1);

“relevant period” means the period of one year beginning with the day on which the person ceases to be a relevant designated public official.

(3) The circumstances to which this section applies are any in which the making of the communications comprising the carrying on of lobbying activities—

(a) involves any public service body with which the person was connected during the period of one year ending with the day on which the person ceased to be a relevant designated public official, or

(b) is to a person who was a designated public official connected with that public service body during that period.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3) a public service body is one with which a person was connected at any time if it was at that time a public service body by which the person was employed or in which the person held any office or other position.

(5) On an application for consent made to the Commission in such manner and form as the Commission may require, the Commission may, after any appropriate consultation, decide to—

(a) give consent unconditionally or subject to conditions, or

(b) refuse to give consent for the whole or any part of the relevant period.