Moved by
Lord Lansley
27: After Clause 10, insert the following new Clause—
“Guidance
(1) The Registrar may give guidance about how the Registrar proposes to exercise the functions under this Act.
(2) The Registrar may do so, in particular, by publishing guidance—
(a) as to the circumstances in which the Registrar would, or would not, consider that a person is carrying on the business of consultant lobbying;
(b) as to the circumstances in which the Registrar would remove a person's entry from the register;
(c) as to the circumstances in which the Registrar would consider it appropriate to impose a civil penalty;
(d) about how the amount of a civil penalty will be determined.
(3) The Registrar may publish—
(a) revisions to any guidance published under this section;
(b) replacement guidance.
(4) Publication under this section is to be—
(a) on a website, and
(b) in such other form or forms as the Registrar considers appropriate.”
28: After Clause 10, insert the following new Clause—
“Charges
(1) The Registrar may impose charges for or in connection with the making, updating and maintenance of entries in the register.
(2) The charges are to be determined by or in accordance with regulations.
(3) In making the regulations, the Minister must seek to ensure that the total paid to the Registrar in charges is sufficient to offset the total of the costs incurred by the Registrar in exercising the functions under this Part (whether or not those costs are directly connected with the keeping of the register).
(4) If a charge imposed for making an application or a return to the Registrar is not paid, the Registrar may treat the application or return as not having been made.
(5) The Registrar must pay into the Consolidated Fund any sums received in respect of charges under this section.”
29: After Clause 10, insert the following new Clause—
“Regulations
(1) Any reference in this Act to regulations is to regulations made by the Minister.
(2) Regulations under this Act may make such consequential, supplementary, incidental or transitional provision as the Minister considers appropriate, including provision amending or modifying the provisions of this Act.
(3) Regulations under this Act may make different provision for different purposes or cases.
(4) Regulations under this Act are to be made by statutory instrument.
(5) A statutory instrument containing any of the following regulations may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament—
(a) the first regulations to be made under sections (Right to appeal against information notice) (3) and (Right to appeal against imposition of civil penalty) (3);
(b) regulations under this section or section (Charges) which amend or modify the provisions of this section or that section.
(6) Any other statutory instrument containing regulations under this Act is to be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.”