ETHICS IN THE LOBBYING PROFESSION

That this House notes with concern the letter to all hon. and right hon. Members signed by the former Chair of the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC), Gill Morris, Director of Connect Public Affairs, arguing that Government agencies that contract public affairs or lobbying services should make APPC membership an absolute requirement; notes the election on 12th May of Robbie McDuff as the new chair of the Association and urges him to work to restore its reputation and its commitment to ethical practice by focussing efforts on maintaining the register of members' clients and policing compliance with its code of practice; notes with interest the work of the Public Administration Select Committee investigating political lobbying; and hopes that the Committee will reject Ms Morris's assertion that public sector contracts should go only to APPC member companies since this would make it impossible in practice for a member company of the APPC to resign in protest at unethical practice by its members or officers, would create an unregulated and unaccountable monopoly for the APPC and would do a disservice to the promotion of ethical standards in the lobbying profession as a whole.