The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has launched a fresh push for sweeping reform to lobbying transparency in the UK, warning that the existing framework captures only a fraction of activity in the sector and leaves many in the dark about what public affairs professionals really do. The industry body's On the Record campaign is calling on the government to extend regulation so that all lobbying is properly governed, documented and publicly reported. Under current rules, large parts of lobbying activity fall outside mandatory disclosure requirements. As such, much goes unreported. As part of the campaign's launch, the PRCA hosted a drop-in session for MPs at Portcullis House on the 4th March, where parliamentarians were invited to sign a pledge of support. Chief executive Sarah Waddington CBE and head of public affairs Louise Whatham have also held talks with the newly formed Ethics and Integrity Commission to discuss potential improvements to lobbying standards. The PRCA already requires its own members to adhere to a Code for Professional Lobbying, including the quarterly publication of activity through the Public Affairs Register, but argues that voluntary standards are no substitute for a comprehensive statutory framework. While the association said it welcomed recent government announcements on standards in public life, it maintained that deeper structural change remained necessary. Louise Whatham went on to say that, "Lobbying plays a vital role in the democratic process and informs policy decisions that impact society, but transparency about who is lobbying is critical to public trust. The current framework only captures a fraction of activity. It is time for a comprehensive, fair and modern system that applies to everyone equally."...