Policies pursued by the government and opposition parties are best informed by engagement and political debate, should be grounded in reality and take into account the needs of businesses, charities and think tanks.
‘Elected representatives have to meet a wide range of people, not just people they agree with; that is democratic engagement’ as my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet, Alex Burghart, pointed out during the adjournment debate on 30th January regarding the fossil fuel industry's political lobbying.
Access to legislators, however, should not be abused. Fairness and transparency must be the keystone of the system. The Government has taken unprecedented measures to improve transparency since 2010. For example, last year, it outlined wide-ranging improvements in the "Strengthening Ethics and Integrity in Central Government" policy statement of July 2023. These include revising guidance to broaden the range of lobbying engagements declared by departments and linked reforms to the consultant lobbying framework. These measures will ensure that all lobbying activity, irrespective of which sector is being represented, will be conducted openly and in accordance with the principles expected of those in public life.
The code of conduct for Members of Parliament also states that they must fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and must always be open and frank in declaring any relevant interest in any proceeding in the House or its Committees. It is for the Standards Committee, not the Government, to consider any changes to the approach to the registration of interests.
Also, from January 2024 onwards, meetings held between ministers and consultant lobbyists will be declared through routine quarterly transparency. This will also apply to those senior officials who are subject to meeting declarations. New transparency guidance was published in December 2023, detailing stricter minimum standards for meeting descriptions to ensure that declarations contain relevant, constructive information.
Furthermore, the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL) was established under new legislation passed in 2014. The role of the ORCL is to keep and maintain a register of lobbyists and ensure that there is transparency in the work of those engaging with government ministers and senior civil servants. Lobbyists are required to declare and publish a list of their clients, and this information is made available online.
Ultimately, I believe it is reasonable for the Secretary of State and ministers for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero to meet a wide range of stakeholders to discuss issues relating to energy security and net zero. Naturally, that will include oil and gas companies. Alex Burghart explained further in his response for the Government:
‘What governs a lot of our thinking…is the fact that we cannot envisage a situation in which it would be wise to shut energy companies out of the discussions. We consider them to be fundamental to the transition to net zero. We also believe that some may have a role when we get to net zero and that it is clear that some fossil fuels will be necessary even when we reach that destination.
Consequentially, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and her Ministers regularly met a wide range of stakeholders to discuss issues relating to energy security and net zero. Of course, that includes meeting oil and gas companies and representative organisations, as well as environmental organisations and charities. For a sector that supports around 200,000 jobs and is at the forefront of the drive to net zero and the energy transition, where the workforce is transferable to green jobs of the future, that is a responsible position to take.
The Prime Minister has reiterated that net zero is a priority for this Government, and we remain absolutely committed to meeting our legally binding net zero target. More than ever, we are determined to adopt a fair and pragmatic approach to net zero that minimises the burden on working people. No other country has matched our record on decarbonisation. Unlike most other countries, the UK’s climate commitments are set in law. The UK is a net importer of oil and gas and a fast-declining producer, hence new oil and gas projects simply reduce the fall in the UK supply; they do not increase it on current levels. The new Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill will not undermine those commitments.’
Although I was unable to attend the debate due to Ministerial commitments, I have included a link to the full transcript for your interest: Fossil Fuels: Lobbying - Hansard - UK Parliament
