17:58
Tieng Anh Vui
David Cameron's planned law to stop lobbying scandals is "a dog's breakfast", according to the head of the Commons committee examining it.
The proposal would see firms whose main business is lobbying civil servants and ministers having to sign a statutory register of lobbyists.
Critics says this excludes key players.
Political and Constitutional Reform Committee chairman Graham Allen told the Independent the law was "rushed and ridiculous" and called for a rethink.
Lobbyists are firms or individuals paid to influence government decisions.
They are often former politicians or civil servants who have developed personal contacts with those in power.
The Lobbying Bill, which is due to start its passage through the Commons when MPs return to Westminster, follows allegations about the influence of lobbyists on government decision making as well as the involvement of peers and MPs with lobbying groups.
Labour MP Mr Allen said it would fail in its aim to open up the £2bn industry to effective scrutiny, and is calling for an urgent rethink on the bill,
"Instead of addressing the prime minister's promise to 'shine the light of transparency' on lobbying, this flawed legislation will mean we'll all be back in a year facing another scandal," he said.
"It is a dog's breakfast."
Mr Allen has taken the unusual step of recalling his committee for special hearings during Parliament's summer break to take further evidence from leading players in the lobbying industry.
'Transparent government'
The Conservatives and Lib Dems pledged to act on lobbying in their 2010 coalition agreement after the prime minister described access for lobbyists in 2009 as the "next big political scandal" waiting to happen.
Previous lobbying scandals
- In 2011 lobbying firm Bell Pottinger was caught in an undercover sting boasting of how they had privileged access to David Cameron and George Osborne
- In 2010 Labour MP Stephen Byers was recorded as saying he would work for up to £5,000 a day and was like a "cab for hire" in the Sunday Times and Channel 4 probe
In recent years there have been several scandals involving lobbying, one of which led to the resignation of then-Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
Mr Fox allowed defence industry lobbyist Adam Werritty, his former flatmate, to accompany him on foreign trips where he met diplomats, defence staff and defence contractors.
Mr Fox said he had "mistakenly allowed" personal and professional responsibilities to be "blurred".
The government's proposals would:
- Introduce a statutory register of lobbyists to identify whose interests were being represented by consultant lobbyists and those who were paid to lobby on behalf of a third party
- Set a £390,000 cap on the amount any organisation - excluding political parties - could spend across the UK during elections
- Set limits for organisations that campaign for or against a specific party or target their spending at a particular constituency
- End self-certification of union membership numbers for all but the smallest unions
- Enable an independent certification officer to check records and take enforcement action if necessary
Speaking last month, leader of the House of Commons Andrew Lansley said the "most transparent government ever" prided itself on "publishing an unprecedented amount of information so that the public can see as much as possible of the workings of government, and hold us to account for the decisions we make".
"This bill is about extending that transparency further to give the public more confidence in the way third parties interact with the political system," he added.
Lobbyist groups say the proposals are likely to result in less openness than under the current voluntary system and many public relations firms would not be required to register.
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