Summary of Investigation – Longevity International CIC
Thursday 11th November 2021
September to November 2021
Organisation or Person Investigated
Longevity International CIC (“Longevity International”)
Matter(s) Investigated
Whether Longevity International undertook unregistered consultant lobbying activities
Registrar’s Decision
That Longevity International undertook unregistered consulting lobbying activities in April 2021
Summary of Rationale for Decision
In April 2021, Longevity International took part in a video launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Longevity (“the APPG”) report on Levelling Up. The Secretary of State for Health and the Chief Medical Officer (“CMO”) also presented at the launch.
Longevity International was, at the time of the event, paid as a support provider (secretariat) for the APPG. Participating in the event alongside the Secretary of State and the CMO constitutes consultant lobbying by Longevity International on behalf of their client, the APPG.
As unregistered consulting lobbying is a statutory offence, a civil penalty is appropriate.
Chronology
Date | Action |
9 April | The APPG’s 9 April 2021 Levelling Up Health Launch. A video of this launch shows presentations from a Secretary of State, the CMO and Longevity International, the APPG support provider (secretariat). |
15 September | Formal letter from the Registrar to Collider Health (the APPG’s current support provider) giving background on the requirement for registering; asking if their activities in general fall within the criteria to be registered; and in particular with reference to Collider Health’s APPG support role and citing the 9 April 2021 video. |
20 September | Email from APPG Secretariat confirming Collider Health is the APPG support provider from 1 September 2021; giving links to the Governance Framework and Income and Expenditure Statements and stating that any communication with Ministers or Permanent Secretaries always comes from the APPG’s Chair and the Longevity International role was to present some of the work in the APPG’s Levelling Up report. |
27 September | ORCL email asking whether Collider Health is paid to provide support services to the APPG and whether Collider Health VAT registered. |
27 September | Email from the APPG Secretariat stating a proportion of time spent by Collider Health on APPG secretariat services is paid (through funds donated by sponsors); and Collider Health is VAT registered. |
1 November | Letter from the Registrar explaining that the 9 April event seems registerable and giving the opportunity to respond. Also asking if Longevity International was paid to provide support services to the APPG and whether Longevity International is VAT registered. |
2 November | Email from the APPG Secretariat stating the event on 9 April was not registerable; that the APPG’s relatively low-cost work is supported by charities and corporate sponsors who have no control over outcomes; that Longevity International’s involvement at the event was to communicate aspects of the report. |
11 November | Letter from the registrar giving the investigation outcome and that a Notice of Intention for a penalty will follow. The outcome of the investigation of Collider Health is provided in a separate summary. |
11 November 2021
Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists
office@orcl.gov.uk