Lobbying regulation - chronology 1920s-1980s

This page lists the history of debates on Lobbying regulation, in Scotland, the UK, the EU and the US.
See also:
*Lobbying regulation - chronology 1990-1999
*Lobbying regulation - chronology 2000-2009
*Lobbying regulation - chronology 2010-2019
*Lobbying regulation - chronology 2020-2029
==Timeline of events==
==1920s-1980s==
===1928===				
USA: In the U.S.A, the Senate enacts a bill which required lobbyists to register with both the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House. The bill is blocked by the House of Representatives. (2007) 'A Brief History of Lobbying', The History of Lobbying, Public Affairs Links, 2007 accessed 20.11.10
===1946===				
USA: The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act is adopted by Congress. The term ‘lobbyist’ is defined as referring to any person
who by himself, or through any agent or employee or other persons in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, solicits, collects, or receives money or any other thing of value to be used principally . . . to influence, directly or indirectly, the passage or defeat of any legislation by the Congress of the United States.Byrd, R. C., ‘Lobbyists’, United States Senate, (1987) accessed 20.11.10
===1970===
UK: Ian Greer establishes Russell Greer Partnership (RG) with another veteran lobbyist, John Russell. It collapses in 1981 with Ian Greer going on to establish Ian Greer Associates. 
===1973===				
USA: In 1973, the Senate and House Bills are introduced. Prior to this, lobbyists were required to register with and report to each house of the legislature separately.‘Brief History – Minnesota Statutes Chapter 10A’, Ethics in Government Act: Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Statutes, Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, 2007.
===1981===
UK: Ian Greer establishes Ian Greer Associates, the lobbying firm that would be at the heart of the 'cash for questions' affair in the early 1990s.Tom O'Sullivan, 'Testing times for Godfather of lobbying / Profile of Ian Greer, PR Week, 7 June 1990.
===1984===
UK: Mohamed Al-Fayed takes over House of Fraser, including Harrods. This begins the feud with Tiny Rowland, chairman of Lonrho, and will result in the subsequent cash-for-questions affair involving Al-Fayed, Neil Hamilton MP and Ian Greer of Ian Greer Associates. Guardian staff and agencies, 'Chronology - How the scandal unfolded', The Guardian, 22 December 1999. Tiny Rowland would go on to persuade Department of Trade and Industry ministers to look into Mohamed Al-Fayed's finances. David Leigh, 'The former minister was pocketing cash from two sources', The Observer, 29 September 1996.
===1985===
====October====
UK: To help in his dispute with Tiny Rowland, Mohamed Al-Fayed employs the parliamentary lobbying firm Ian Greer Associates (IGA). This in turn would lead to the creation of the so-called 'Al-Fayed group' which would include Neil hamilton, Sir Michael Grylls, Tim Smith, Sir Peter Hodern and Sir Andrew Bowden. All would be paid to lobby on behalf of Mohamed Al-Fayed.
====November====
UK: Conservative MP Neil Hamilton begins a series of 'parliamentary interventions' (including tabling questions, giving support to early day motions, attended meetings with ministers and writing letters), all of which push forward views that are in Mohamed Al-Fayed's interest.Lord Brown-Wilkinson, 'Judgments - Hamilton v. Al Fayed', 22 March 2000.
====November 1st====
UK: Conservative MP Sir Michael Grylls receives his first cash payment from Ian Greer. The payment is made on the same day Mohamed Al-Fayed becomes a client of Greer. This
would be the first of several 'thank you payments' Grylls was to receive from Greer for introducing clients to Greer's company, Ian Greer Associates. At the time, Grylls does not register the payments in the Register of Members' Interests.David Leigh, 'Corruption in the commons: five MPs paid by £3.5m firm besieged parliament on client's behalf', The Observer, 29 September 1996.
===1986===
UK: Conservative MP Tim Smith takes money from Mohamed Al-Fayed in return for asking Commons questions and other parliamentary activities.
===1987===				
UK: Westminster lobbyist Ian Greer of Ian Greer Associates solicits money from clients (including Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed) to support the constituency campaigns of twenty six Conservative MPs.Burrell, M. 'History of lobbying & of the APPC', APPC, 2006.
====July 23rd====
UK: Neil Hamilton writes to Mohamed Al-Fayed stating ""I have now been elected Secretary of the Conservative Finance Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Trade and Industry Committee, all of which gives me a better position from which to act on your behalf."
====July 29th====
UK: Neil Hamilton and Sir Peter Hordern meet David Young, the Department of Trade and Industry minister, and lobby on behalf of Harrods.
====September====
UK: Neil and Christine Hamilton enjoy six nights (8-14 September 1987) at the Paris Ritz. The cost of the stay totals £3,600 with Mohamed Al-Fayed footing the bill.
====November 21st====
UK: Neil Hamilton writes to the Department of Trade and Industry and once again pleads Al-Fayed's case in the DTI inquiry.
===1988===				
UK: The House of Commons’ Select Committee on Members’ Interests begins its inquiry into the lobbying of parliament.Rush, M. Rush, M.R 'Registering the Lobbyists: Lessons from Canada', Political Studies, 4: 630-645, 1994. 
====May 27th====
UK: Neil Hamilton tables two questions querying the cost of the DTI inquiry into Mohamed Al-Fayed.
====June====			
UK: Evidence is given by Dr Michael Rush, a member of the Study of Parliament Group, to the Select Committee on Members' Interests. In their memorandum, Rush et al (1988) suggest:
:There is no doubt that not only has there been a growth in the number of organisations that lobby Parliament but also in the number of professional lobbying consultants, a number of whom specialise in parliamentary lobbying. Developments in this area, justifiably or otherwise, have given cause for concern and, if for no other reason, further consideration should be given to establishing a register of professional lobbyists. At the same time, it should be noted that our data would not support the view that the growth in lobbying is a product of the growth in the number of consultants, in that lobbying has grown far more than has the number of consultants.Rush, M., C. Seymour-Ure, P. Norton and M. Shaw, 'Memorandum submitted by Dr Michael Rush, Professor Colin Seymour-Ure, Professor Philip Norton and Mr Malcolm Shaw', Evidence on parliamentary lobbying, 1988.
In his subsequent oral evidence to the Committee, Rush (1988) remarks:
:The only advantage I can see of a register, whether it is of professional lobbyists or lobbying organisations in the wider sense, is that it provides publicity. It opens up the process more so that Members of Parliament or members of the public may, if they wish, be able to see who is lobbying. But I take your point [MP William Shelton suggested ‘that it is almost impossible to have a register unless those who register are accorded some sort of privilege’]. I could not agree more. If you say, "As a consequence of registering you have some privilege or other, access to Members or access to certain Parliamentary papers," that is something which I think would be very difficult to control but it would also, I would say, be something to be deplored.Rush, M. 'Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on Members' Interests', Evidence on parliamentary lobbying, 14 June 1988.
====July 12th====
UK: Neil Hamilton tables an early day motion condemning "libellous propaganda" against Mohamed Al-Fayed.
==Notes==
Category:LobbyingCategory:Lobbying chronology