North East business leaders have been caught up in a row after the Government's coronavirus vaccine taskforce spent more than £500,000 on public relations.
It used eight consultants from PR agency Admiral Associates to oversee media strategy, in a deal expected to cost taxpayers £670,000 in total.
Although Admiral Associates is now based in London, it began life in Newcastle.
Its registered office was Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, until August 2016, when it officially moved to London.
Directors include Georgina Collingwood Cameron, who is a Director of Newcastle NE1 Ltd, the city's "business improvement district", a body that supports businesses across Newcastle.
Directors also include Angus Collingwood Cameron, a director of Northumberland Rivers Trust.
Attention has focused on Kate Bingham, the head of the vaccine taskforce, who is married to Conservative Government Minister Jesse Norman. Downing Street today insisted the Prime Minister had full confidence in her, and said the work was designed to support the development of a vaccine and encourage the public to take part in tests.
The contract with Admiral Associates began in June.
The Times newspaper reports leaked documents showed that eight consultants were employed, and the taskforce has so far spent £500,000 on the team, which is contracted until the end of the year.
Ms Bingham is said to have “insisted” on hiring them, the Times reports.
The newspaper said they are understood to help Bingham prepare for media appearances, draft statements and to oversee a vaccines podcast on Spotify.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said that specialist communications support was contracted by the vaccines taskforce for a time limited period in line with existing public sector recruitment practices and frameworks.
The purpose of it was to provide clear communications on vaccines to the public to support the development of vaccines and to encourage people to sign up to trials designed to test potential vaccines.
Asked if the Prime Minister had confidence in Ms Bingham, his spokesman said he did.
The spokesman said: "The work of the vaccines taskforce is obviously of great importance. We've secured agreements for 350 million doses overall of six leading vaccine candidates."
Admiral Associates said that the Government was dealing with requests for comment.
