OpenLegislation

Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014

2014 c. 4 · Enacted 30 January 2014 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 18 February 2026.

An Act to make provision for establishing and maintaining a register of persons carrying on the business of consultant lobbying and to require those persons to be entered in the register; to make provision about expenditure and donations for political purposes; to make provision about the Electoral Commission's functions with respect to compliance with requirements imposed by or by virtue of enactments; to make provision relating to a trade union's duty to maintain a register of members under section 24 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992; and for connected purposes.

[30th January 2014]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act: functions transferred (22.6.2015) by The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1376), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 9)

C2

Act functions transferred (9.11.2016) by The Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1(t) (with arts. 3(2), 6, 12)

Contents

  1. Part 1: Registration of consultant lobbyists
  2. Requirement to register
  3. 1Prohibition on consultant lobbying unless registered
  4. 2Meaning of consultant lobbying
  5. Keeping the register
  6. 3The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists
  7. 4The register
  8. 5Notification of client information and changes
  9. 6Duty to update register
  10. 7Publication of register
  11. Compliance
  12. 8Duty to monitor
  13. 9Notice to supply information
  14. 10Limitations on duty to supply information and use of information supplied
  15. 11Right to appeal against information notice
  16. Offences
  17. 12Offences
  18. 13Bodies corporate and Scottish partnerships
  19. Civil penalties
  20. 14Civil penalties
  21. 15Notice of intention to impose civil penalty
  22. 16Imposition of penalty
  23. 17Right to appeal against imposition of civil penalty
  24. 18Civil penalties and criminal proceedings
  25. 19Enforcement
  26. 20Further provision about civil penalties
  27. Supplementary
  28. 21Guidance
  29. 22Charges
  30. 23Power to make further provision
  31. 24Regulations
  32. 25Interpretation
  33. Part 2: Non-party campaigning etc
  34. Controlled expenditure
  35. 26Meaning of “controlled expenditure”
  36. 27Arrangements between third parties notified to the Electoral Commission
  37. 28Changes to existing limits
  38. 29Constituency limits
  39. 30Targeted expenditure limits
  40. 31Extension of power to vary specified sums
  41. Recognised third parties, information and reports
  42. 32Recognised third parties
  43. 33Reporting of donations to recognised third parties
  44. 34Returns as to controlled expenditure
  45. 35Statements of accounts by recognised third parties
  46. Miscellaneous
  47. 36Third party expenditure in respect of candidates
  48. 37Candidate's personal expenses not to count for local election expenses limit in England and Wales
  49. 38Functions of Electoral Commission with respect to compliance
  50. 39Post-election review
  51. Part 3: Trade unions' registers of members
  52. 40Duty to provide membership audit certificate
  53. 41Duty to appoint an assurer etc
  54. 42Investigatory powers
  55. 43Enforcement
  56. Part 4: Supplementary
  57. 44Financial provision
  58. 45Commencement
  59. 46Transitional provision
  60. 47Power to make consequential provision
  61. 48Extent
  62. 49Short title
  63. Schedule 1: Carrying on the business of consultant lobbying
  64. Part 1: Exceptions
  65. 1Paragraph 1
  66. 2Paragraph 2
  67. 3Paragraph 3
  68. 4Paragraph 4
  69. Part 2: Meaning of terms used in section 2(1)
  70. In return for payment
  71. 5Paragraph 5
  72. 6Paragraph 6
  73. 7Paragraph 7
  74. 8Paragraph 8
  75. Communications
  76. 9Paragraph 9
  77. Made on behalf of another
  78. 10Paragraph 10
  79. Part 3: Positions equivalent to permanent secretary
  80. 11Paragraph 11
  81. Schedule 2: The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists
  82. Status
  83. 1Paragraph 1
  84. 2Paragraph 2
  85. Appointment
  86. 3Paragraph 3
  87. 4Paragraph 4
  88. 5Paragraph 5
  89. Remuneration and staffing
  90. 6Paragraph 6
  91. 7Paragraph 7
  92. 8Paragraph 8
  93. Accounts
  94. 9Paragraph 9
  95. Funding
  96. 10Paragraph 10
  97. Amendment of other enactments
  98. 11Paragraph 11
  99. 12Paragraph 12
  100. 13Paragraph 13
  101. Schedule 3Controlled expenditure: qualifying expenses
  102. Schedule 4Requirements of quarterly and weekly donation reports