[cma-l] Chin up: Lobbying works - it's official!

[Bill Best]

By Rosie Walker, Third Sector Online, 17 July 2008 (http://tinyurl.com/564ayo)

Campaigners have more influence over the legislative process than they
realise, according to a book published yesterday.

The book by the Hansard Society (http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/)
says parliamentarians, especially those in opposition, rely heavily on
information provided by external groups. The most effective groups are
the most focused, sometimes on only one cause, and have specific
parliamentary supporters.

Law in the Making: Influence and Change in the Legislative Process
examines five pieces of legislation passed in the past six years,
tracking them through each stage of the legislative process and noting
influences. It also contains 80 interviews with government ministers,
MPs, peers and pressure groups.

Research for the book found that private members' bills are shaped by
agreements between parliamentarians and interest groups, whereas
government bills are shaped in different ways.

Fiona Booth, chief executive of the Hansard Society, said: "Outside
bodies can have a definite impact on government proposals at policy
development and consultation stages. This, combined with parliamentary
scrutiny, both in the Commons and the Lords, does make a significant
difference to legislation."

Recent legislation studied in the book, which was funded by the
Nuffield Foundation, includes the Export Control Act 2002, the
Equality Act 2006, the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006,
the Legislative and Regulatory Act 2006 and the Welfare Reform Act
2007.