Parliamentary Lobbying

The answer is yes. Trade unions are lobbyists, as are charities and all kinds of bodies. The main argument that was made to Labour Cabinet Office Ministers is presumably the same one that lobbyists are making to the present Minister. Lobbyists find it impossible to defend the existing secrecy and the fact that large organisations and rich and powerful bodies can buy access to the Government—that is indefensible, and no one would pretend that it can be right. As that argument does not work, they have invented a new one about how reform will upset all the good people—the nice, friendly, cuddly charities and the trade unions—who will also be damaged. That was the main thrust of the argument used against the previous Government to undermine reform. I am sure that the Minister will be happy to tell us how many meetings he has had with lobbyists. How much has he been lobbied?