Ministers have selected former Electoral Commission chief Claire Bassett as their preferred candidate for the next registrar of consultant lobbyists.
Bassett is currently chair of the Property Ombudsman and interim chair of the Serious Fraud Office’s board.
She is a former chief exec at the Electoral Commission, Parole Board, and Criminal Cases Review Commission, and a former director of the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate of the Department of International Trade.
The Cabinet Office said she specialises in “organisational change, stakeholder engagement, and compliance, bringing expertise from sectors including law, finance, and public oversight to ensure transparency and integrity”. It added that the choice of Bassett by ministers followed a rigorous recruitment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
The Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is an independent, statutory office set up in 2015 to ensure transparency in the work of consultant lobbyists and their engagement with ministers and permanent secretaries on behalf of clients.
It is responsible for keeping and publishing the Register of Consultant Lobbyists, and operates as a corporation sole, meaning all its legal and statutory powers and duties are held by the individual serving as the registrar.
Bassett’s appointment to the role is subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. Ministers will consider the committee’s views before deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.
Bassett is set to replace Harry Rich, who has held the role since 2018 and whose eight-year run as registrar ends this month. Commenting on the role earlier this summer ahead of his departure, Rich said on LinkedIn that the role is "absolutely fascinating" and a "both intellectual and operational challenge".