Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Bedford Excerpts

Wednesday 15th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

On behalf of the House, I wish my hon. Friend the very best for his recovery. I know that this is a deeply personal campaign for him—a campaign that is also supported by our hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight West. May I send my deepest sympathies, and pay tribute to, Zoe’s family, who are with us today? Their bravery is staggering, and I share their determination to improve cancer survival rates. That is why we are investing billions to see earlier diagnosis and faster treatment of cancer, and are developing a national cancer plan. Of course, we will get a meeting set up, and if the family are available and it is convenient —I do not know whether it is—I will ask the Health Minister to meet them later today, or, if that is not convenient, at the earliest possible opportunity, so that they can have that discussion.

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

Q3. Business confidence has fallen for five consecutive quarters, and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has said that there are significant concerns in the housing market. The Prime Minister could inject some confidence back into the economy, he could help working families to get on to the housing ladder, and he could even simplify the tax affairs of his Cabinet if he adopted the policy advocated by the Leader of the Opposition of scrapping stamp duty on residential properties. Will he at least give a commitment not to raise property taxes in his nightmare-before-Christmas Budget?

[The Prime Minister]

We will certainly not be following the Leader of the Opposition. She unveiled what she called her “golden economic rule”, I think it was, which involves £47 billion of spending cuts—that is a fifth of the NHS budget—with not a shred of detail about where the money would come from. The Institute for Government said that it was based on “shaky foundations”. More unfunded tax cuts, and more austerity for public services: the Conservatives have not listened, and they have not learnt.

UK-EU Summit

Peter Bedford Excerpts

Tuesday 20th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I firmly agree with my hon. Friend, and what she says applies not just to this deal but to the India and US deals. We have made real progress when it comes to our exports.

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

Given that my constituents overwhelmingly voted to take back control of their borders in the 2016 referendum, what safeguards is the Prime Minister putting in place to ensure that his youth experience scheme is not open borders by the back door, which would be seen by my constituents as yet another Brexit betrayal?

[The Prime Minister]

The scheme will be time-limited, visa-led and capped. It is a good scheme for young people in this country to go to Europe, and it will have those features, which we negotiated because we had a red line about freedom of movement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Bedford Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Georgia Gould]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question. I look forward to spending another day with him in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill Committee later. I have regular discussions with the Crown Commercial Service on a range of issues.

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

Given that public sector procurement accounts for a third of all public sector spending, what steps is the Minister taking to ensure that it is less siloed, more joined up, and as efficient as the private sector?

[Georgia Gould]

That is such an important question. We need to deliver value for money in how we do procurement. One change that we made in the new national procurement policy statement is ensuring that contracting authorities procure collaboratively, crack down on some of the excessive costs of private frameworks and ensure that they are transparent. We are using AI to streamline procurement, and have set up a new commercial innovation challenge at the heart of government to ensure buying supports innovation and growth.