The Senedd needs better accountability and transparency, according to Reform UK, which says there is an 'absent' level of scrutiny about the way business is carried out at the Welsh Parliament. Wales is out of step with the rest of the UK, the party argues.
Reform UK's Call for a Statutory Lobbyist Register
Llŷr Powell MS, Reform UK's chief whip and business manager, as well as MS for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, debated the need for Wales to have a statutory lobbyist register on June 17. He stated that transparency is a word used frequently in politics, but at a time when trust in politics is at an all-time low, the Senedd should no longer conduct its business without accountability and transparency.
The Senedd is the only UK legislature without lobbying transparency rules in law. In Westminster and Holyrood, rules already exist requiring transparency over who is attempting to influence public policy. In Northern Ireland, ministers and special advisors are legally required to keep a written record of any lobbying they receive.
In Cardiff Bay, however, that same level of scrutiny is absent. Instead, Wales relies on informal disclosure and individual Members of the Senedd (MSs) keeping their own records. That system may satisfy minimum administrative requirements, but it falls short of modern expectations for democratic transparency.
Powell has personally argued for many years that this gap is indefensible. He first campaigned on this in 2017, when he brought forward a public petition calling for a statutory lobbyist register.
Reform's position is simple: if decisions are being shaped by external influence, and they are, then the public deserves to know who is shaping those decisions.
The Core Argument for Transparency
At its core, the argument for a statutory lobbying register is not about suspicion or finger-pointing; it is about transparency. Legislation is shaped every day by meetings between elected representatives and external organisations: corporations, trade bodies, unions, charities, and advocacy groups.
Most of this is entirely legitimate and often essential to good policymaking. But legitimacy does not negate the need for transparency. Without a consistent, centralised system of disclosure, the public is left with a fragmented picture of influence, if any picture at all.
Westminster has a statutory register, Holyrood also has a statutory register, and Stormont has rules in law. Wales alone continues without a formal framework. That absence is not a sign of flexibility or light-touch governance, but a structural weakness that undermines public trust.
In an era where confidence in political institutions is already fragile, the perception that influence can occur without clear oversight undermines any trust that remains in Welsh politics.
Corporate Lobbying and Democratic Governance
Corporate lobbying is an established part of democratic governance, but it depends on balance and visibility. Without a register, it becomes far harder to track patterns of access or identify whether certain groups enjoy disproportionate proximity to decision-makers.
A statutory system would not prevent lobbying, it would simply make it visible, accountable, and consistent.
Under current arrangements, the Senedd's approach relies on voluntary or individual disclosure. MSs are expected to record meetings and publish details, but there is no unified requirement for external lobbyists themselves to register or report activity.
That creates a gap in accountability: the public may know who an MS met, but not always the broader network of organisations seeking influence across government.
A properly-designed register, updated quarterly, would close that gap without obstructing legitimate democratic engagement. Trade unions, political groups, and transparency advocates have long argued that clarity over lobbying activity strengthens, rather than weakens, public trust. When the people of Wales can see who is engaging with policymakers, they are better equipped to assess decisions and hold institutions to account.
Opposition and Concerns
However, opposition to a statutory register persists, largely on grounds of proportionality and that overly rigid rules could unintentionally capture small grassroots groups, burdening them with administrative requirements simply for speaking to an MS about poverty or housing insecurity.
That objection is not without merit, but there are ways around these concerns.
Other jurisdictions have already demonstrated that exemptions, thresholds, and tiered systems can be built into lobbying registers to distinguish between professional lobbying firms and small voluntary groups. The existence of a register does not have to mean a one-size-fits-all approach. It can, and arguably should, be designed to protect community voices while still exposing organised, resourced influence to public scrutiny.
The Question Facing Wales
Ultimately, the question facing Wales is not whether lobbying occurs, it clearly does, but whether it should continue to do so without a transparent, statutory framework.
The absence of such a system places Wales out of step with the rest of the UK and risks undermining confidence in its democratic institutions.
For Reform Wales, the case is rooted in a straightforward principle: democracy is strengthened, not weakened, by openness. A statutory lobbying register would not eliminate influence, nor should it. But it would ensure that influence is visible, accountable, and subject to proper public scrutiny.
In a modern legislature, that should be the minimum standard, not the exception.
