Measures to counter state threats (Parts 1 and 2) Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (Part 4)
The Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 makes provision in three areas:
It establishes a register of consultant lobbyists and a Registrar of consultant lobbyists to monitor and enforce the registration requirements.
It changes the legal requirements for people or organisations who campaign in relation to elections but are not standing as candidates or as a registered political party.
It changes the legal requirements in relation to trade unions’ obligations to keep their list of members up to date.
	This Act was not designed to deal with the threat from state actors, nor does the Government consider it appropriate to adapt it for the Government’s purposes. Its focus is very specifically towards increasing transparency around the activities of consultant lobbyists. The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), however, is designed as a tool to counter state threats activity by focusing on arrangements with foreign powers. While there may be some limited overlap, the scope of FIRS is necessarily much wider, and the offences and penalties reflect the seriousness of the threat context.
	The Elections Act 2022 makes new provision to ensure that UK elections remain secure, fair, modern, inclusive and transparent. In the National Security Act, the requirement to register political influence activities is designed to capture and increase transparency around a wider range of conduct that has been directed by foreign powers and not limited to election periods.