Summary of investigation – Lord Chadlington
Published on: Monday 14th July 2025
April to July 2025
Organisation or person investigated
Lord Chadlington and The Chadlington Consultancy Limited
Matter(s) investigated
Whether Lord Chadlington or The Chadlington Consultancy Limited conducted unregistered consultant lobbying
Registrar’s decision
Based on information and assurances provided, Lord Chadlington has not conducted unregistered consultant lobbying either personally or through The Chadlington Consultancy Limited in relation to the matter under investigation.
Summary of rationale for decision
Based on substantive and unequivocal written information provided, Lord Chadlington made an otherwise registrable communication for which the incidental exemption applies.
Under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 (“the Act”), a registrable communication is made by a VAT registered company or individual communicating with a Minister, Permanent Secretary (or equivalent) on behalf of a paying client.
Under the Act there is an incidental exception and my guidance sets out how I apply this narrow exception. Based on the information and assurances provided, the communication was not a substantive part of the main business assessed either:
- by volume; or
- by the value of the work undertaken; or
- by its significance to the client offering; or
- by the significance of its contribution to the business’s non-lobbying activities.
Chronology
| Date | Action |
| 04/04/25 | Formal letter from the Registrar to Lord Chadlington giving background on the requirement for registering and asking if activities, whether individually or through a company, fall within the criteria to be registered with particular reference to, but not limited to, a text to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 6 June 2020 regarding nitrile gloves. |
| 23/04/25 | Information Notice issued by the Registrar to Lord Chadlington due to no response to the letter of 4 April. |
| 30/4/25 | Email from Lord Chadlington explaining that the original letter was not received and asking for clarification on the deadline. |
| 30/4/25 | Email from the Office to Lord Chadlington confirming the deadline and providing a copy of the letter of 4 April. |
| 15/5/25 | Letter from Lord Chadlington to the Registrar stating he had made no communications under the scope of the Act. The letter provided detailed background on his work; his role in Summer Group Holdings Limited (SGHL), as director, Chairman and consultant; the text message to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 6 June 2020; and why he did not consider the communication to be registrable. |
| 11/06/25 | Letter from the Registrar to Lord Chadlington asking for information on his contracts with SGHL and why he felt the incidental exception applies, with reference to the Registrar’s guidance. |
| 25/06/25 | Letter from Lord Chadlington to the Registrar providing information on his SGHL roles and his contracts with SGHL. |
| 09/07/25 | Letter from the Registrar to Lord Chadlington with an additional question about tasks undertaken. |
| 10/07/25 | Response from Lord Chadlington to the Registrar’s letter of 9 July. |
| 14/07/25 | Letter from the Registrar concluding his investigation. |
14 July 2025
Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists