Thread by @bricksilk

I've been looking at the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, added in its current form to the #NationalSecurityBill on the last day of its passage through the Commons. No html version available yet but it's Part 3 (ss 62-81) of the Bill: bills.parliament.uk/publications/4…. /1

I think I understand why the activities of specified persons (e.g. China, Russia, Iran and entities they control) need to be registered (cll 62-65). Hostile states need careful watching and hopefully this (and the penalties for non-compliance) will help. /2

Less obvious is why ALL governments and ALL bodies incorporated outside the UK should be required to register "political influence activities" including contacting an MP or issuing public communications aimed at influencing UK government decisions (cll 66-70). /3

This seems broad! Broader I think than the Australian FITS and US FARA schemes which are relied on as precedents for the proposed UK law. /4

Registration is also potentially onerous since ongoing requirements may in principle be imposed on registrants under clause 72. /5

(Though if a large US company doesn't want to register, it can presumably avoid having to do so by simply making sure any activities are conducted by its UK subsidiary. Loophole?) /6

Since the registration requirement is not restricted to specified (hostile) govts, or to companies controlled by govts, or to activities relating to national security, I'm struggling to see what it is doing in a national security Bill. /7

Is it not more in the nature of a lobbying requirement (but one applied, oddly, only to foreign entities?) If so, how does it relate to Lobbying Act 2014 &c? /8

And what useful value is anticipated for it? The Govt's Impact Assessment bills.parliament.uk/publications/4… is unspecific. /9

I would have raised these questions at @UKHouseofLords 2nd reading next week but will be unavoidably absent. /10

I will listen carefully to what the Govt says before thinking about amendments, but in the meantime, help from any NGO or subject matter expert in getting a handle on this would be much appreciated. /11

The process of scrutiny requires us to probe this thoroughly so as to ensure that we are passing into law a useful defence mechanism rather than a bureaucratic nightmare. /12

Please pass on to anyone you think could help - including lobbying law experts and those with knowledge of the US/Aus systems @TransparencyUK @EndCorruptionUK @JUSTICEhq @instituteforgov @RUSI_org @JoshuaRozenberg @LordRickettsP @SarahLudford @danielmgmoylan /13

I am getting a lot of emails on other aspects of this Bill (for which, thank you) but wanted proactively to identify a different issue that needs to be properly explored. Like most other peers, I have no research assistance. So hoping Twitter can work its magic. /14

Fortunately, the #NSBill has passed into the hands of a well-qualified Security Minister in @TomTugendhat. He has shown himself willing to engage and I am sure will sort this out - if indeed it needs sorting. /end