Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Peter Bedford and Nick Thomas-Symonds

Thursday 23rd April 2026 Commons Chamber

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

That is an absolutely absurd question. The hon. Gentleman is asking that question when his party’s position is to keep in place all the fees that we currently have to pay on exports to the EU. He also talks about the emissions trading system linkage. Without mutual exemptions from the carbon border adjustment mechanism, businesses will have to pay around £700 million in carbon taxes. The consequence of his party’s position is that they would have to pay them.

[Mr Peter Bedford (Mid Leicestershire) (Con)]

8. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of performance management plans in the civil service.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

My hon. Friend talks powerfully about the impact of long covid, and it has had that impact on many people following the pandemic. The most recent module 3 report from the covid inquiry covered this issue in detail. Of course, the Government will carefully consider the inquiry’s work on this in our full response—it absolutely should.

[Mr Peter Bedford (Mid Leicestershire) (Con)]

T4. Last week, a former Attorney General wrote that there was no legal reason for the Government not to publish a list of the Humble Address documents being withheld by the Metropolitan police. Will the Government publish that list?