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The UK Public Affairs Council (UKPAC) is now considering its future after the Public Relations Consultants Association's (PRCA) announcement of its withdrawal last week.

The council, which was established as the lobbying industry's effort at self-regulation, was the result of a joint effort by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the PRCA and the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) in 2010.

Last week the PRCA said that over the past year it had 'become increasingly disillusioned' with UKPAC's failure to maintain a complete and accurate register of lobbying firms and their clients.

In a letter from chairman of UKPAC Elizabeth France to Frances Ingham, chief executive of the PRCA, France expressed her 'disappointment' at the PRCA's decision to leave, which will take effect from Friday 16 December.

She said: 'I have repeatedly praised the industry bodies for their initiative in setting up UKPAC. It has huge potential with the right support - I will have now to discuss with fellow directors whether it will have the chance to fulfil it.'

Ironically, the PRCA's withdrawal comes as UKPAC relaunches its website in a bid to put its technical failings behind it.

France continued: 'We have had problems as we have worked to establish the organisation and the register but the directors unanimously agreed the way forward, the key element of which was to let a new IT contract.

'I note your criticisms but I know you recognise that we have worked with far more limited resources than any statutory scheme is likely to have available to it,' she added.

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