Further details have emerged about the links between senior figures in the Conservative Party and dissolved charity Atlantic Bridge.

Gabby Bertin, who has been a press secretary for the Prime Minister since his leadership campaign in 2005, was employed as a researcher for the charity in 2003.

She was based in MP Liam Fox’s office while he was shadow health secretary and her salary of £25,000 was paid by pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. Bertin reported directly to Fox, as founder of the charity, but also worked closely with Adam Werrity who was then the charity’s executive director.

Fox declared this on the register of members’ interests, stating that she had “no function in any health role".

The charity named Margaret Thatcher as its patron and George Osborne, William Hague and Michael Gove were on its advisory board.

Atlantic Bridge’s trustees took the decision to wind up the charity last month after concluding that they could not continue operating following a damning Charity Commission report which had required the charity to conduct a review of its activities.

Fox’s personal relationship with Werrity is being investigated by senior civil servants over allegations Fox breached ministerial guidelines after it was revealed that the defence secretary had met the lobbyist several times at the Ministry of Defence.

An interim report was presented to the Prime Minister earlier this week and a full report is expected on 21 October.