 Lobbying register. For greater openness, face-to-face lobbying must be registered. If you lobby MSPs, members of the Scottish Government, special advisers or permanent secretary, you must register by law on Scotland's new lobbying register. What is lobbying? To be heard by Parliament or Government, many people lobby. It is a fundamental part of our democratic process. It allows organisations and individuals to inform and influence decisions made by our elected representatives and policy development by our Government. Lobbying takes many different forms and can originate from individuals and interest groups, bodies representing their members or professions, charities and the voluntary sector and those who act in a professional capacity to lobby others. What is regulated lobbying? Regulated lobbying is a core concept of the Lobbying Scotland Act 2016. Regulated lobbying is lobbying which takes place face-to-face with MSPs, members of the Scottish Government, special advisers or permanent secretary and which relates to Scottish Government or Scottish Parliament functions. From the 12th of March 2018, the Act requires regulated lobbying to be recorded in a new lobbying register. This contact could take place in any situation, not just at formal meetings. To help you understand what regulated lobbying is, please check the five key steps in this guidance and the exemptions that may apply. That should help you to identify if you are engaged in regulated lobbying. If you think you are, we strongly suggest you seek further information guidance at the Lobbying Register website www.lobbying.scot. Parliamentary Guidance Parliamentary guidance on the operation of the Act has been produced and is intended to assist those who may lobby. This provides comprehensive information on all aspects of the Act, setting out in greater detail which types of conversations and with whom would require to be registered. In addition to the parliamentary guidance, a common scenarios guide and frequently asked questions have been produced and are designed to help with other practical questions and queries that potential registrants may have. How to register The Lobbying Register team offers the following good practice guidance when registering an account for your organisation. Key points to consider There is a four part registration process. Initial setup with the registrant name, email and password, confirmation email, completion of organisation details and confirmation of account by the Lobbying Register team. You will not be able to submit information returns until your account is confirmed. Your registrant name should be the name of the company or organisation you work for or represent, not your own, unless you lobby in an individual capacity. We recommend that organisations use a generic email address such as admin at acme.com or lobbying at acme.com to set up their accounts as the Act places the onus on the organisation to submit information returns rather than individuals. Using a generic email address will also ensure that the organisation has a continuous record of all of the information returns it makes and, in addition, if you are sick or leave the organisation the email and account will stay the same. If your company has a very large number of directors instead of listing them all you can enter a web address to a page where they are already published providing this page is kept up to date. You only need to provide details of a Code of Conduct if your organisation has a commitment to comply with a Code of Conduct which governs regulated lobbying such as a Code produced by a professional association or trade body. An active registrant must submit an information return at least once in every six month period. The date on which that period begins is either the date on which you applied to be on the lobbying register or the date on which your first regulated lobbying communication occurred. The five key steps. Step one. I have communicated face to face with a member of the Scottish Parliament, MSP, a member of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Government's permanent secretary or a Scottish Government's special adviser. If the answer is no, this is not regulated lobbying. If the answer is yes, please progress to step number two. Step two. I have communicated about Scottish Government or Scottish Parliament functions. If the answer is no, this is not regulated lobbying. If the answer is yes, please progress to step number three. Step three. I used the opportunity to inform or influence decisions on behalf of my organisation or those I represent. If the answer is no, this is not regulated lobbying. If the answer is yes, please progress to step number four. Step four. I am paid representing the views of my organisation or those I represent. If the answer is no, this is not regulated lobbying. If the answer is yes, please progress to step number five. Step five. The other exemptions under the act do not apply to my lobbying. If the answer is no and an exemption applies, this is not regulated lobbying. If the answer is yes, you have been carrying out regulated lobbying and you need to record this on the lobbying register. Always consult the act itself as the core reference point, particularly in more complex situations. What are the exemptions within the act? There are 13 separate exemptions in the act's schedule. To find out more, please contact the lobbying register team. How do I find out more? Please feel free to contact the lobbying register team at any time. The address. Lobbying register team. The Scottish Parliament. Edinburgh. EH991SP. Telephone 01313485408. Email lobbyingatparliament.scot. Visit the website www.lobbying.scot. Or on Twitter at sp underscore lobbying scott. Calls are welcome in British Sign Language through contactscotland-bsl.org. This resource is intended as a summary of the main provisions of the Lobbying Scotland Act 2016 and does not purport to be a legal interpretation of the act.