Chambré Public Affairs LLP

Chambré Public Affairs is a Belfast-based lobbying firm with lots of clients in the health sector.

Clients

Lobbying clients listed in 2008 include:
General Medical Council | Enterprise Northern Ireland | Bryson Charitable Group | Bryson Social Services | Northern Ireland Energy Agency | Health Foundation | Shingles Support Society | Sanofi Pasteur MSD | Lilly UK | Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry | Ulster Cancer Foundation | Royal British Legion | NESTA | Boehringer Ingelheim | Freight Transport Association | British Dental Association | Skills for Logistics | Baglady Productions | ASDA | Consumer Focus Post

Chambre therefore works for a number of big pharmaceutical clients, as well as patient groups, although it doesn't disclose which pharma companies fund these patient groups. The relationships between these charities and the pharmaceutical companies is not clear:

• Both Sanofi Pasteur MSD and GlaxoSmithkline fund the British Heart Foundation and the cervical cancer charity Jo’s Trust. Both charities are clients of Chambre. Client Boehringer Ingelheim also funds the British Heart Foundation.
• Lilly funds Rethink, which describes itself as the leading national mental health membership charity, and which is also a client of Chambre

Chambre also works for the Northern Health & Social Services Board, which is responsible for both health and social care in the north of Northern Ireland. This leads to potential conflict of interest as both the patient groups and the pharma companies which pay Chambre have a vested interest in influencing the behaviour of the Board in relation to, say, autism or mental health, both areas where Chambre clients have interests.

People

• Will Chambre. Chambre has represented the Northern Ireland Government Affairs Group, the trade association for lobbyists in Northern Ireland. At a fringe meeting in April 2008 on lobbying transparency at the 2008 annual delegate meeting of the National Union of Journalists, Chambre argued against transparency and in defence of the lobbying industry. SpinWatch reports:: "Chambre learned his lobbying at the knee of one of the key fixers of the Westminster lobby scene – Douglas Smith the Conservative Party member who runs various All Party Parliamentary Groups and a string of lobby firms.

• Neil Johnston
• Terry McErlane
• Simon Logan

Affiliations

• Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, member
• Northern Ireland Government Affairs Group, member

Resources

• Chambré Public Affairs, Staff and Clients 1.12.07-29.02.08