Charity Commission Apologise For Misleading Statement - Still Refuse Investigation

The Charity Commission have apologised to Social Investigations, following a complaint made about the free market think tank, Reform.

The complaint, which centred around Reform's links to the Conservative party, was met with the extraordinary response that ‘there is no evidence to support the allegations that the Reform Research Trust has links with or promotes the aims and objectives of any political party.’

I replied saying that ‘I must admit, I am rather baffled by this part of the response because the links to the Conservative party are extensive and as far as their powerbase goes, is almost total. I attach the full list of their connections to the Conservative party.’

The Charity Commission has responded and admitted this statement was false: ‘I should first apologise that my earlier response was perhaps misleading.  By saying “the Commission’s findings were that there is no evidence to support the allegations the Reform Research Trust has links with or promotes the aims and objectives of any political party”

I might have suggested that the Commission would be concerned if such links exist.  I apologise that my comments might have been confusing.’

Instead I would refer you to the Commission’s conclusions on page 2 of the report under the heading “Allegations of political bias”.  You will see that the Commission concluded that there was no evidence to support the allegations of political bias.’

It may well be that the charity has an association with a particular political perspective.  However, provided the charity is not promoting a particular political point of view, there are no grounds for the Commission to intervene.’

The apology has been made, but the fact remains that an organisation with clear links to one political party, whose purpose to promote privitisation should not be a charity. The fact that the Commission' rules prevent it from taking action, means their rules are not fit for purpose.

The full links to the Conservative party are here. 

For a full list of research looking into Refom, please see here.

Reform: A Full Account of a Free Market Think Tank

This is a roundup of all the research carried out by Social Investigations on the free market think tank, Reform. They are increasingly influential, listened to by the neo cons and promote the dismantling of public service into the hands of corporations that fund them and so many of our parlimentarians. This has been the most indepth look at the think tank thus far with some more to come in the future.

1. The Telegraph, the Think Tank and a Very Dodgy Business: Click "And the whole sequence of Telegraph articles and editorials on the importance of the Government not going soft on public service reform, including some strong pieces on health, is something I have been orchestrating and working with Reform to bring about.’

2. Reform - Setting the Agenda with Unknown Others  - Click - Chatham House Rules are a useful tool for discussions that hide the attendees. Reform, regularly use it for meetings that should be in the public domain.

3. Reform - a voice for corporations (series) - Reform has many corporations who are partners. They pay Reforn, and in return get to be in the same room as our lawmakers, lobby, contribute papers policy ideas that aim to persuade MPs. Policies that will benefit big business. Aviva, BMI Healthcare, G4S, Bupa.

4. Reform: A Charity or a conduit for privatisation? Click - Reform were at the conferences with sponsored corporations in tow, providing access to decision-makers.

5. MPs and Lord's Financial Links to Free Market Think Tank - Click - A well connected think tank, with multiple companies who also pay our Lords and MPs

6. Privatising Probation: What Reform says – Government does - Click - If you want to know what future government policy is going to be, don’t bother asking your government because they won’t tell you until it’s too late. Instead, turn your eyes to a right-wing think tank masquerading as a charity.

7. Reform think tank and their links to the Conservative Party - Click - they are a charity yet they have a clear bias towards the Conservative party - here are all their links to the right.

8. Complaint Over Think Tank 'Charity' Sent to Charity Commission - Click - based on the evidence, Reform appear to be in breach of the Charity Commission rules, so Social Investigations sent in a complaint.

9. Charity Commission Refuses to Investigate Complaint Regarding Charity's Links to the Conservative Party - Click The Charity Commission said there was 'no evidence to support the allegations that the Reform Research Trust has links with or promotes the aims and objectives of any political party.' They clearly are not bothering to look, despite being sent the clear links. Another organisation with a set of rules that are not fit for purpose. 

10. Charity Commission apologises for misleading statement on Reform's connections to the Conservative party - Click

The case of Baroness Cumberlege: Why the Lords Rules Need Changing

‘Disappointingly since joining the alliance Cumberlege Connections has not earned any income through the alliance.’ Baroness Cumberlege  26th November 2012

Rules that fail to prevent our Peers from voting when they have a financial interest are not fit for purpose. There were many such culprits who helped pass the Health and Social bill into Act, however, there was one Baroness in particular, who exploited this deficiency in democracy more than most.

On 26 June 2012, I made a complaint against Baroness Cumberlege, to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, Sir Paul Kernaghan. Research had revealed that while debating, voting and making amendments on the Health and Social Care bill, the former Conservative Secretary of State for Health, moved her company into an alliance led by PricewaterhouseCoopers that were tendering for and winning contracts for commissioning the new Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

The rules are such that my complaint had to follow the narrow remit of the non-declaration of her interests in the alliance during the debate, an alleged breach under paragraph 10(b) of the Code of Conduct.

Baroness Cumberlege is the sole owner, chairman and managing director of a company called Cumberlege Connections. The company runs training programmes across the NHS spectrum for consultants, GPs, NHS managers, Directors and chief executives. In addition to this service, part of their training programme covers 'Politics, Power and Persuasion', a tailored two-day programme which includes topics such as: 'Managing the markets, the challenges of commissioning', 'who's who', and 'brokering deals with other independent sector providers'.

Mr Kernaghan wrote in the privileges Committee Second Report: 

'I am clear that Baroness Cumberlege has properly registered her interest in Cumberlege Communications in the Register of Lords' Interests. Anyone reading the Register would see that she has an interest in Cumberlege Connections.’  

However:  

‘She has not registered the involvement of that company with a wider "alliance" led by PwC and I see no reason why she should do so.’

In addition, his investigation did reveal that on occasions he could ’find no evidence that she declared her (company’s) interest during the report or third reading debates on the Bill’, though she participated in them…However, these omissions were not the subject of the complaint so ‘I am not required to make a ruling on them.’

In other words, Baroness Cumberlege or any other Peer for that matter can work for or own a company that can move itself into a position that can make money from a bill they are able to vote on. They do not have to declare any alliance or group that that company has joined, just that their company itself is registered and declared during debates.

Baroness Cumberlege, responded to Mr Kernaghan with this:

‘In my case the complainant Mr. Andrew Robertson (of whom I have no knowledge), alleges that I should have declared an interest in joining an alliance for work commissioned by the NHS. The alliance in question is formed by a number of companies PriceWaterhouseCoopers, the Kings Fund, Common Purpose, Practive, Wragge and Co and my company Cumberlege Connections. Mr. Robertson does not complain about four of the five companies involved, only PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Disappointingly since joining the alliance Cumberlege Connections has not earned any income through the alliance.’

They do not care, or at least the Baroness is less concerned at her manipulation of the democratic system for a potential personal gain than the fact that she failed to make money from it.

If we are to prevent the blatant abuse of position that takes place in the House of Lords, then we must prevent behaviour like that of Baroness Cumberlege in the future. They themselves will not change their behaviour and so we must change it for them. The Lords are an Open House for corporations to sit in the chamber and vote on bills that they will benefit from. Indeed, over 140 Peershave recent or present financial connections to companies that are involved in private healthcare. They were all able to vote on the Heath an Social Care bill.

A petition has been set up to stop Lords from voting when they have a financial interest to a company that will potentially benefit from the bill.

Sign the petition here.

Further reading:

Read Baroness Cumberlege’s full report here.

Background article on Baroness Cumberlege here.

Spinwatch – previous complaint on Baroness Cumberlege here.

2012 Awards List of Most Powerful Private Healthcare Individuals and Their Links to Lords and MPs

It's that time of the year again when the HealthInvestor magazine announces who they consider to be the most powerful individuals in the private healthcare market. The annual backslapping is less about care and more about power, influence and money. Is this the future of healthcare in this country? I hope not.

Seven of the top Fifteen or just under 50% of the top 15 have links to Lords or MPs - the full list is below.

There may be more but for now this is the list and their connections. Please let me know if you know of any other connections these companies have to our beloved public servants; lest we forget their role.

A list was produced earlier this year for the HealthInvestor awards for the most favoured companies of 2012 - you can see that here.

Top 15

1. Stephen Collier, Chief executive, GHG -		2. Mike Parish, Chief executive, Care UK – Chairman John Nash gave £21’000 to run Andrew Lansley’s office as shadow health minister in 2009. Care UK also now own Harmoni who were recently offered contracts for new 111 call centres.
3. Jill Watts, Chief executive, Ramsay Health Care		4. Mike Parsons, Chief executive, Barchester Healthcare – Baroness Ford – chairman of Barchester Healthcare Ltd. Chairman of Grove Ltd, a holding company for Barchester Health.
5. Michael Neeb, President and CEO, HCA International –		6. Pete Calveley, Chief executive, Four Seasons - Lord Birt: Crossbench -Advisor to Private equity company, Terra Firma Capital Partners who purchasedFour Seasons Health Care in July 2012, the largest private UK health company, who operate 447 Care Homes and 58 specialist care centres.
7. Chai Patel, Chairman, Court Cavendish		8. Rob Roger, Chief executive, Spire Healthcare – David Ruffley (Con) MP for Bury St Edmonds a strategic advisor to Partnership Group Holdings Limited. PAG Holdings Limited, which is majority owned by Cinven Funds. Cinven is a leading buyout firm, who bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa. Other UK investments include. Spire Healthcare, who run private healthcare hospitals, and whose clinical director Jean-Jacques de Gorter said the use of private sector would spiral as a result of Andrew Lansley’s reform proposals.
9. Ali Parsa, Chief executive, Circle – Mark Simmonds – MP for Boston (Con) Advisor to Circle health.		10. Bart Johnson, Chief executive, Virgin Care – Baroness Morgan of Huyton is member of advisory Committee Board of Virgin Group Holding Ltd, who hold Virgin Health assets.
11. Saleem Asaria, Chief executive, Cambian Group		12.David Mobbs, Chief executive, Nuffield Health - Lord Hamilton of Epsom - Conservative: Has a directorship with MSB Ltd (managing consultancy), who have Nuffield Health as clients.
13. Dominic Hollamby, Global head of healthcare, Rothschild Oliver Letwin MP for West Dorset – involved in NHS negotiations with Danny Alexander during coalition formation - He was a director of N.M. Rothschild & Sons from 1991 to 2003 and a non-executive director from 2005 to 2009.		14. Lawrence Tomlinson, Chairman, LNT Group
15. Bruce McKendrick, Chief executive, Voyage Care

A-Z Power Fifty 2012

Mike Adams - MedicX Tom Allen - Advent International Justin Ash - Oasis Healthcare Gil Baldwin - Tunstall – Lord Patten (not the BBC chief) (Con) - Senior Advisor for Charterhouse Development  Capital Ltd - who purchased Tunstall for £510 Million in 2008. Paul Birley - Barclays Corporate - Baroness Hooper: Conservative - Until July 11, chairman of Advisory Committee of Barclays Infrastructure Funds, one of the most experienced investors in hospital PFI deals. Stephen Brooks - Santander Beverley Bryant - Capita Pete Calveley - Four Seasons - Lord Birt: Crossbench -Advisor to Private equity company, Terra Firma Capital Partners who purchasedFour Seasons Health Care in July 2012, the largest private UK health company, who operate 447 Care Homes and 58 specialist care centres. Stephen Collier - GHG Ian Crompton - Lloyds Banking Group – Rachel Reeves MP Leeds West - Payment of £4,893.35 from Lloyds Banking Group, The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ, as deferred remuneration for previous employment prior to 2010. Lord Blackwell (Con): Non Executive director of Lloyds Banking Group plc Henry Bellingham (Con) – MP for North West Norfolk, Jonathan Djanogly MP (Con) for Huntingdon, Dominic Grieve, MP for Beaconsfield (Con) – all former members of Lloyds. Lord Leitch (Lab): Deputy Chairman, Lloyds TSB bank plc; advisor of Lloyds Banking Group plc; Trustee, Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales. Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Lib Dem) Member, Lloyds Register Advisory Committee (unremunerated) Dominic Dalli - Sovereign Capital – Andrew Lansley MP (Con) South Cambridgshire - the hedge fund owns Care UK – the founder John Nash and his wife funded the Conservative party to the tune of £203,500 for over 5 years. Sovreign run a string of private health firms. Fellow founder Ryan Robson is another major Tory donor who has given the party £252,429.45. His donations included £50,000 to be a member of the party’s “Leader’s Group”, a secretive cash-for-access club. Penny Dash - McKinsey & Co – David Milliband MP (Lab) for South Shields received £10,000 from McKinsey and Co for a speech at a Global Business Leaders Summit in February last year. Also recied a sum of £10,044 from the same company for travel expenses and accommodation in Singapore in March 2011. McKinsey & Co drew up loads of proposals that were accepted into the Health and Social Care bill. Alistair Dick - Serco – Lord Filkin (Labour) – advisor to Serco – several other Lords have shares in Serco. Andrew Gardner - Harmoni - purchased by Care UK who are financed by Bridgepoint. Chairman of Care UK, John Nash gave £21,000 to Andrew Lansley to run his office when he was shadow health secreatary in 2009. Bridgepoint have Lord Patten of Barnes as an advisor. Mike Gordon - Healthcare at Home Aatif Hassan - August Equity Dominic Hollamby - Rothschild - Oliver Letwin MP (Con) for West Dorset – involved in NHS negotiations with Danny Alexander during coalition formation - He was a director of N.M. Rothschild & Sons from 1991 to 2003 and a non-executive director from 2005 to 2009. Mark Hudson - Graphite Capital John Ivers - Saga Homecare Giles Johnson - CIL Bart Johnson - Assura Medical Ray King - Bupa – Baroness Bottomley (Con) is director of Bupa Health insurance. Mark Simmonds MP (Con) for Boston and Skegness received £4,512.76 for a fact finding visit in 2009. Lord Edmiston (Con) Shareholdings in Bupa finance plc. Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con) has a directorship with MSB Ltd (Management Consultancy) who have BUPA as a client. Lord Leitch (Lab) is chairman and non-executive director of Bupa. Baroness Liddell (Lab) is an associate member of Bupa. Lord Jones of Birmingham (Lab) unpaid associate of Bupa. Logan Logeswaran - Runwood Homes David Lyon - Carewatch Khawar Mann - Apax – Lord Warner (Lab) – former advisor to Apax Partners. Bruce McKendrick - Voyage David Mobbs - Nuffield Health Michael Neeb - HCA Mike Parish - Care UK – Andrew Lansley MP (Con) for Cambridge South – received money from John Nash the Care UK chairman to run his private office in 2009 as shadow health minister (£21,000) Ali Parsa - Circle Health – Mark Simmonds (Con) MO for Boston and Skegness – Advisor to Circle Health. Mike Parsons - Barchester Healthcare – Baroness Ford (Con) – chairman of Barchester Healthcare Ltd. Chairman of Grove Ltd, a holding company for Barchester Health. Chai Patel - Court Cavendish David Porter - Apposite Capital Nigel Rawlings - Assura Sean Riddell - EMIS Rob Roger - Spire Healthcare - David Ruffley (Con) MP for Bury St Edmonds a strategic advisor to Partnership Group Holdings Limited. PAG Holdings Limited, which is majority owned by Cinven Funds. Cinven is a leading buyout firm, who bought 25 private hospitals from Bupa. Other UK investments include. Spire Healthcare, who run private healthcare hospitals, and whose clinical director Jean-Jacques de Gorter said the use of private sector would spiral as a result of Andrew Lansley’s reform proposals. Peter Russell - RBS Philip Scott - The Priory Group – Lord Ashcroft (Con) - In 2010 bought a 34% stake in The Priory for £44m. Farouq Sheikh - CareTech Renos Sideras - CuroCare Karol Sikora - CancerPartners Fred Sinclair-Brown - Partnerships in Care Ted Smith - European Care Group Richard Smith - IDH Richard Steeves - Synergy Health Lawrence Tomlinson - LNT Group Jill Watts - Ramsay Health Care Peter Watts - The Practice Jamie Wyatt - Bridgepoint  - Lord Patten of Barnes - Adviser.  The company who also have Alan Milburn the former Secretary of State for Health under Tony Blair, as chair of the board, have been involved in 17 healthcare deals over recent years listed below. Eight of these companies remain as their current investments, which include four in the UK at a combined investment worth over £1.1 billion. Adrian Yurkwich - Silverfleet Capital