Commentary on Sections Part 1 – Registration of Consultant Lobbyists Section 5: Notification of client information and changes
38.Registered lobbyists must update their register entry each quarter by providing details of any clients for whom they have engaged in consultant lobbying in the previous quarter (whether or not the payment for it has actually been received) or from whom they have received payment in that quarter to engage in lobbying in the future (whether or not the lobbying has actually been done). Registered lobbyists must also update their register entry by notifying the Registrar of any changes to the particulars outlined in section 4 (i.e. company name, number, address, directors etc). These updates must be made within 2 weeks of the end of the quarter to which the update relates.
39.If registered persons have not engaged in consultant lobbying nor received payment to lobby in the future in the previous quarter, they must submit a statement to that effect (see subsection (5) of section 5). If they have ceased to act as a consultant lobbyist, they can seek to discontinue their registration (see section 6(6)). In the former case the lobbyist may be listed as inactive but remains registered and so can still return to lobbying at any time with immediate effect, as they remain on the register. They also remain obliged to provide any updates necessary in relation to the company name, number, address, directors etc. and information for their registration. In the latter case the lobbyist’s register entry will be discontinued (though the historic record will remain) and they will no longer be obliged to provide updates regarding their business and clients. As such, they will be prohibited from lobbying unless they apply to register again and are entered on to the Register.