1 in 6 Crossbench peers have financial interests in companies involved in private healthcare

The number of Crossbench peers with financial interests in companies involved in private healthcare is 31, which represents 16% of the total. The majority of those who voted, voted with the coalition. This compares to the 28% of Conservative peers with such links, and the 11% of Liberal Democrat peers. Make of it what you will.

The fact that any of these Lords were able to vote with the conflicts of interest represents a great concern for democracy. Had these peers been prevented from voting as would have been the case at local level, then the outcome for the Health and Social Care bill would have been different.An e-petition has been set up which is here - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31991 - if you can please sign it to stop Lords voting on their own interests, this would go some way to prevent their behaviour.

For more on Crossbenchers please click here:

1. Lord Adebowale: – No party - non-executive director and shares in St Vincent's healthcare consulting company that offers consultancy to the healthcare market. Their partners include: BT Health, IOCOM and AXSys.  Voted with Labour.

2. Lord Boyce: No party - non-executive director of global engineering and design company WS Atkins - who are involved in multiple PFI projects and NHS building projects including, Tayside Murray Royal Hospital, Ayrshire & Arran Community Health Trust, Cummock Community hospital, and Doncaster & South Humber healthcare.

Chairman of D Group advisory board. D Group is a business development and networking group, which according to its website is 'dedicated to generating revenues and promoting the objectives of its members.' They have over 70 members consisting of UK and International leading business, though they are not listed. However in their testimonial page one company is mentioned BT group plc, which is one of the largest suppliers of communications to the NHS. BT was involved in the failed NHS computer system overhaul. The testimonial of BT group PLC says 'The D Group provides effective and discreet access to influential thinkers and policy makers on important topics.' Voted on 4.9% of his time in the Lords, but managed to vote on key areas of the Health and Social care bill with coalition.



3. Lord Chorley: Hereditary - Shares in Pharmaceutical giant Astrazeneca, private health insurance providers Prudential and Legal and General and banking group Standard Chartered, which invests in healthcare companies and offers health insurance. Shares in Reckitt Benckiser,  in Unilever, and IBM, the latter supply software to the NHS.
 Voted with coalition.

4. Lord Currie of Marylebone: Formerly Labour - Chairman of Semperian, an investment vehicle, which owns a portfolio of mature Public Private Partnership investments, including hospitals. Didn't vote nor speak.

5. Lord Elystan: – Formerly labour - Has bonds held in HSBC-controlled companies - According to a Times report in 2008, HSBC made almost £100 million from managing NHS hospitals where where contractors charge taxpayers inflated bills for simple tasks, such as £210 to fit an electrical socket. HSBC has a controlling stake of several hospitals, including outright ownership of three NHS hospitals, located in Barnet, Central Middlesex, and West Middlesex. HSBC used  a legal loophole to handle the profits from PFI schemes to a tax haven in Guernsey. HSBC offer health insurance. Lord Elystan also hold shares in Santander which offers health insurance and funds heavily in healthcare projects and companies.  Voted with coalition.

6. Earl of Errol: - Hereditary - Chair on the Advisory board of software intelligence company Flexeye Ltd. The company develop security applications and platforms, which supplies the NHS. The Company's healthcare website says: 'Flexeye's Health Information Tool (HIP) is a communication tool designed especially for the healthcare system.' Paid by Nihilent Technologies PVT Ltd in unspecified capacity, an IT, consulting and outsourcing company. Worked on multiple healthcare projects in multiple countries. Voted with coalition.

7. Baroness Grey-Thompson: Life peer - 'Advisory' work for official Olympic sponsors and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. The role is contractual to give internal talks to staff and PR regarding their activation programme. The programme involves, a partnership with NHS London to inspire people with a variety of long-term conditions to to understand the benefits of an active lifestyle. Has given two speaking engagements paid for by Proctor and Gamble, paid on an ad hoc basis and not contractual. Voted in opposition with Labour.

8. Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank: Life peer - Member of the advisory board of Cannacord Genuity a global capital markets division of Cannacord financial Inc. Their website states: 'Cannacord Genuity focusses on public and private healthcare companies, at all stages of development.' Voted on only two amendments.

9. Lord Hameed: No party - Chair of private secure mental health hospital group Alpha Hospitals, which is investing in a new acute private hospital in central London. Alpha hospitals. part of the Alpha Healthcare (C&C Alpha/C&C business solutions) group. The Alpha group has made significant donations to the Liberal Democrat party. In 2008, Lord Clement-Jones was the party treasurer. Lord Clement-Jones nominated Lord Hameed to become a peer. Voted in three amendments with Labour.

10. Lord Hannay: Former ambassador Advisor to Frontier Strategy Group, who provide economic consulting based on emerging markets. They list multiple pharmaceutical and healthcare companies as their clients. Has shares in Lionheart Investment Fund who offer individual or group healthcare coverage. Voted with Coalition.

11. Lord Hastings: No party - Global head of Citizenship and Diversity for global tax, Audit, and advisory firm KPMG. The firm is heavily involved in the new NHS structural changes, including GP commissioning groups. KPMG's head of Global Health and advisor to Cameron famously said the NHS would be shown 'no mercy'. Didn't vote. 

12. Baroness Hayman: Former Labour party - Has shares in Standard Chartered plc, which offers healthcare through Aviva for its customers, and general health insurance. Voted with Labour.

13. Baroness Hogg of Kettlethorpe: Former Conservative party - Chair of Frontier Economics, a consultancy that advises private sector clients on the impact of healthcare reforms and how "to shape regulatory environments". Didn't vote nor speak.

14. Lord Jones of Birmingham: Was Labour party minister of State for Trade an Investment - Chairman of software solutions company Neutrinos Concepts Ltd, which has run a couple of trials in NHS trust hospitals. He also has shares in the company. Senior advisor for HSBC plc and Chairman on the International Business Advisory board for the same bank. (See Crossbench Lord Elystan for more on HSBC). A senior advisor executive recruitment agency Harvey Nash Group plc. The Harvey NAsh 'Healthcare Practice' part of the site states: We support leading healthcare organisations in securing the right Executive...' Is an unpaid associate of Bupa. Voted with coalition.

15. Lord Kerr of Kinlochard: Independent - Member of the Investment advisory board of investment fund for Edinburgh Partners. A report by the group reveals healthcare as their main sector of interest representing 22.7% of their allocation. Largely voted with the coalition. 

16. Lord Kilclooney: Ulster Unionist - Shares in Vodaphone - Vodaphone produced a report by themselves, which showed how they can help drive efficiency in healthcare costs promoting the use of SMS texts which go via them and other mobile phone companies. South-Central ambulance service NHS trust have appointed Vodaphone UK as its communications partner. Voted largely with the coalition.

17. Lord Levene: Former Lord Mayor - Holds shares in pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, Goldman Sachs, which is heavily involved in the healthcare sector. Voted on two amendments, both with the coalition.

18. Baroness Manningham-Buller: Has given speaking engagements for KPMG, Artemis, Merck, and Standard Chartered Bank all involved in private healthcare.

19. Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge: Businessman - Chairman of Nomura International plc. Nomura code, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nomura Europe Holdings plc, who Lord Marshall is also a chairman is a leading European investment bank specialising in healthcare. Voted on two amendments, both with the coalition.

20. Lord Millett: Legal - Has shares in Diageo - (See Lord Wasserman). Shares in GlaxoSmithKline. Has never voted.

21. Viscount Montgomery of Alamein – Crossbench – shares in Astrazeneca (Pharma), Vodafione plc. Vodafone produced a report by themselves, which showed how they can help drive efficiency in healthcare costs promoting the use of SMS texts which go via them and other mobile phone companies. South-Central ambulance service NHS trust have appointed Vodafone UK as its communications partner. Shares in Standard life (private health insurance).

22. Duke of Norfolk: Hereditary - Shares in Cardionetics who sell ECG monitors. The heart monitor hardware is supplied to the NHS. Shares in Helperby Therapeutics  plc, which is developing a new antibiotic processes. Didn't vote.

23. Lord O'Donnell: Strategic Advisor to the Chief Executive of Toronto Dominion Bank, which has a healthcare area which includes health insurance cover. In addition the bank has a healthcare division covering liability. The Peer began in the Lords from 10th January 2012.

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He joined Frontier Economic (Europe) as a Senior Advisor at the end of last year to advise on ‘all aspects of Frontier’s work.’’

Frontier's involvement in healthcare includes regular advice to public and private sector institutions on ‘healthcare reform'. Frontier’s Health practice advises public sector and private clients on issues relating to the reform, restructuring and operation of healthcare markets.

24. Lord Owen: Former Lib  Dem – Very outspoken against the bill - Shares in Abbot Laboratories global healthcare company - supplies NHS with Lab equipment, reagents. Voted against coalition.

25. Lord Palmer: Hereditary - Shares in pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline - Voted with coalition.

26. Lord Patten of Barnes: Former Conservative - Adviser to private equity firm Bridgepoint. didn't vote.

27. Lord Powell of Bayswater: Former Conservative under Margaret Thatcher - Chairman of the advisory board of Bowmark Capital who invest in healthcare amongst other sectors. Member of the International Advisory board for health insurance providers ACE insurance. When voted, did so with the coalition.

28. Lord Quirk: Conservative supporter - Has shares in pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and Astrazeneca and Walgreen. For more on Walgreens. Shares in Standard chartered who offer health insurance. Voted in a mixture of for and against the coalition.

29. Lord Renwick of Clifton: Ambassador under Thatcher, and Major - Vice Chairman of global Investment giants JP Morgan. his chairmanships is of both JP Morgan Cazenove and JP Morgan Europe investment banking. JP Morgan are major players in healthcare. According to their website they serve: 1,100 hospitals, 10 of the top 10 health insurers, thousands of physicians groups, top five pharmacy benefit managers, six of the top eight pharmacy retailers. Also has shares in JP Morgan. Didn't vote. Hasn't done since 2006. 

30. Lord St John: Hereditary - Non-executive Director of PharmaSys Ltd, a web-based pharmacy management system. Non-Executive Director of Albion Ventures VCT - which has multiple healthcare companies on its portfolio. Consultant for 2e2 Group plc, an IT solution provider, which has multiple contracts across the healthcare spectrum, including the NHS. Largely voted with the coalition.

31. Lord Skidelsky: Originally Labour, became a Conservative - Shares in fund managers Janus Capital Group, who invest in the healthcare sector amongst other areas.  Wrote in the Spectator in 2000, on an article titled: 'Let's go private.' In there he promotes the idea of encouraging users to get a tax-incentive to go private.  Voted on two amendments one on adult care in favour of Labour.

32. Lord Stevenson Crossbench – Former chair of HBOS from 2001-2009, during which it collapsed and seen as having "Responsibility [for the near-collapse of the bank] lies particularly with Lord Stevenson" the Banking Commission.

Lord Stevenson has a 4% shareholding in Lexington Communications – who are involved in healthcare.

Saxton Bampfylde headhunter firm, which has recruited people into key positions throughout the NHS and state on their website "It’s our job to seek out the people who lead, shape and direct organisations."

Has shares in Aircraft Medical invent, make and sell specialised medical equipment. In  2008 they won "one of the largest Research & Development funding packages from the UK Departments of Health through the Health Technology Devices (HTD) programme." 

33. Lord Sutherland: British academic - Non-executive chairman of Scottish Care - now represents the largest group of Health and Social Care independent providers across Scotland, delivering residential care, day care, care at home, and housing support. Largely voted with the coalition.

34. Lord Turnball: Cabinet secretary to Tony Blair - Non-Executive Director of Prudential plc, who offer private health insurance. Non-executive Director of Frontier Economics, a consultancy that advises private sector clients on the impact of healthcare reforms and how "to shape regulatory environments". Has shares in Prudential plc. Voted with coalition.