JESSE Norman has dismissed his place on list of 70 coalition MPs with links to private health companies.

As reported by the Hereford Times this morning, the list was compiled after an investigation by the trade union Unite and referred to Mr Norman’s constituency as receiving £5,000 in June 2009 from a healthcare company investor, while the MP himself received payment for speaking at an event hosted by the lobbyist for an outsourcing firm looking to run NHS Direct.

In response, Mr Norman issued this statement:

"I speak at dozens of events every year, for organisations ranging from think tanks and universities to private companies, and any and all fees from these engagements go to charity, including the £200 raised from the Quiller event in 2011, which had nothing to do with healthcare.  Crispin Odey is an old friend who believed in 2009 that I could do a lot for Herefordshire as MP, and wanted to support my election campaign.  He has made a further contribution of £10,000 recently, for the same reason.  All this is in the public record.

"Everything I do is focused on supporting the people of my constituency, my county and my country.  Hereford Times readers will know that as an MP I have led local efforts to protect services at Hereford and Ross Hospitals, fight high car parking charges, and support GPs among other things.  Nationally, my campaign on the Private Finance Initiative has saved taxpayers over £1.5 billion. 

"I believe in holding myself to the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and any Hereford Times readers wanting to know more are welcome to look at www.jesse4hereford.com, and at my recent Parliamentary Report."