Six former special advisers to government ministers sought exemptions last year from the “cooling-off” period during which they cannot lobby, the Register of Lobbying annual report for 2024 has disclosed.
It is the highest number of waivers sought since 2020, when eight applications were received to waive the prohibition on lobbying after stepping down from employment with government.
The identities of the six special advisers were not disclosed by the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo), the public ethics watchdog, in the report.
Special advisers to ministers are restricted from engaging in lobbying in certain circumstances for a year after they leave office.
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A large number of special advisers left their roles in 2020 after that year’s general election and at the end of last January following the 2024 general election.
It is expected a significant number of waivers will be sought this year.
Advisers, ministers, and senior public officials who leave employment to take up roles in the private or non-government sectors are subject to a cooling-off period.
During that time they cannot engage in lobbying activities connected to their former employment or roles in the public service.
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The watchdog’s report refers to a case study involving an unnamed special adviser who took up a position with a charity and applied to waive the final four months of the cooling-off period.
The applicant confirmed they would not be involved in any lobbying activity for the last four months of the period, so a waiver was granted.
There were three applications for waivers in 2023, none in 2022, five in 2021 and eight in 2020.
No minister has sought to have the cooling-off period waived since 2016.
Three former public servants were granted exemptions from the cooling-off period, all in 2016 and 2017.
The annual report also reveals the total number of people registered as lobbyists increased to 2,710 last year, an increase of 172 on 2023.
More than 12,300 returns of lobbying activities had been submitted in respect of the three reporting periods in 2024.
The top policy matter subject to lobbying in 2024 was health, followed by economic development and industry, agriculture, justice and equality, and housing.
Three investigations into possible unreported lobbying were carried over from 2023 to 2024, and one further investigation was launched during the year. The complaints and investigations unit closed one of these cases, leaving three ongoing at the end of 2024.
A total of 414 fixed-payment notices for late returns were issued in 2024. Of these, 169 were for late returns in periods before 2024.
A total of 27 notices of potential prosecution were issued in 2024 for non-payment of fixed payment notices.
