Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the annual report of the Ethics and Integrity Commission which reiterated its July 2026 recommendation that the current register of consultant lobbyists be replaced with a register of all lobbying activity.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I would like to thank the Commission, and Doug Chalmers as Chair, for its thorough and considered work and for its letter to the Prime Minister setting out current priorities for standards reform.
The Government is carefully considering the findings of the Commission’s report on lobbying, the business appointments rules and financial disclosure, and will present the Government’s response to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce the measures recommended in the Ethics and Integrity Commission report Lobbying, Business Appointment Rules and Disclosure, published on 9 July.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government recognises that more can be done on transparency around lobbying and is grateful to the Ethics and Integrity Commission for its thorough work. The Government will present its response to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to implement the recommendations in the report by the Ethics and Integrity Commission, Lobbying, Business Appointment Rules and Disclosure, published on 9 July.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government thanks the Ethics and Integrity Commission for its thorough and considered work on these important issues.
As set out in the review’s terms of reference, we will now carefully consider the report’s findings and present the Government’s response to Parliament in due course thereafter.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to include special advisors within the scope of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 using the powers in section 2(5) of that Act.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is committed to transparency and has already taken a number of steps to restore trust in politics. The Government currently has no plans to bring Special Advisers within the scope of the Lobbying Act, although it continues to keep transparency and lobbying under review.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to respond to the calls for greater control over lobbying made by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in its report, No Rules Britannia? The UK’s lobbying laws exposed on the global stage, published in April.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
In addition to steps this Government has already taken to improve transparency, in particular through the introduction of the monthly register of ministers' gifts and hospitality, the Government continues to develop its broader work on ethics and standards and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to adopt the recommendations in the report Climate and Energy Lobbying in the UK, published by InfluenceMap on 26 June.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
In addition to steps this Government has already taken to improve transparency, in particular through the introduction of the monthly register of ministers' gifts and hospitality, the Government continues to develop its broader work on ethics and standards and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September 2024 (HL617) stating that the Government would consider whether changes were required to improve transparency around lobbying, whether they plan to consult on any such changes.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
In addition to steps this Government has already taken to improve transparency, in particular through the introduction of the monthly register of ministers' gifts and hospitality, the Government continues to develop its broader work on ethics and standards and will provide an update in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September 2024 (HL617) stating that the Government were committed to establishing a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission, when an announcement on this Commission will be made.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given to PQ HL8292 on 23 June 2025.
Written question from Lord Booth, tabled on 10 June 2025: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 10 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.
Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, on 23 June: We are restoring confidence in government and the highest standards in public life and have already taken steps to improve probity and transparency, including through issuing a new Ministerial Code which highlights the importance of the principles of public life, by strengthening the terms of reference for the Independent Adviser, and by introducing a new monthly Register of Gifts and Hospitality.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with arm’s-length bodies regarding civil action being taken against their staff due to gender-critical views.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The government cannot comment on individual cases of civil action within arm’s length bodies.
Sponsor departments are responsible for maintaining the relationship between the government and its arm’s length bodies. This includes ensuring appropriate discussions about ongoing issues are held.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether government departments give equal consideration and status to staff sex equality and equity networks as they do to LGBT+ and other diversity groupings.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
All formally recognised cross-government equality, diversity and inclusion networks are given equal consideration. The Cabinet Office oversees cross-government equality, diversity and inclusion networks. Management of departmental equality, diversity and inclusion networks is delegated to departments.