Over 1,300 individuals and organisations submitted more than 4,500 returns since new lobbying rules were introduced last year, it has emerged.

Lobbyists are proving slow to embrace new disclosure obligations, with just eight individuals and organisations submitting details of their lobbying activities to date.

Anyone lobbying a State official on public policy matters is now legally required to provide comprehensive details of their activities to a publicly accessible register.

Businesses which fail to comply with new lobbying legislation will not face sanctions for more than a year after the new laws come into force next month.