Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016

50 Report on operation of Act

(1) The Scottish Parliament must make arrangements for one of its committees or sub-committees to report in accordance with this section to the Scottish Parliament on the operation of this Act during the review period.

(2) In this section, the “review period” means the period—

(a) beginning on the day on which section 8 comes into force, and

(b) ending 2 years after that day.

(3) The committee or sub-committee must—

(a) for the purposes of preparing its report under subsection (1), take evidence from such persons as it considers appropriate,

(b) publish its draft report under subsection (1),

(c) consult with such persons as it considers appropriate on—

(i) the draft report, and

(ii) any recommendations that it proposes to include in its final report, and

(d) before making its report under subsection (1), have regard to any representations made to it on the draft report and on any proposed recommendations.

(4) A report under subsection (1) may—

(a) be made in such form and manner as the committee or sub-committee considers appropriate,

(b) include a recommendation as to whether this Act should be amended to modify the circumstances in which a person engages in regulated lobbying, whether by adding to or modifying—

(i) section 1(1)(a)(i), in relation to the type of persons to whom a communication is made,

(ii) section 1(1)(a)(i) or (ii), in relation to the type of communication which is made,

(c) include a recommendation as to whether this Act should be amended in relation to the circumstances in which a person engaging in regulated lobbying is to provide information, to be included in the register, about expenditure incurred by the person in engaging in regulated lobbying.

(5) A report under subsection (1) must be made no later than 2 years after the end of the review period.

(6) The Scottish Parliament must publish a report made under subsection (1).