argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Tariq Ahmad (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat as a Statement the response to an Urgent Question in the other place regarding the situation at the Turkish-Greek border and the refugee crisis in Greece "We are concerned by the situation on the Greece-Turkey border. We should not allow this crisis to detract from the reality that has created it: continued brutal violence, particularly in Idlib, by the Syrian regime and its Russian supporters, which has driven millions of refugees into Turkey and beyond. On 3 March, both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed this with their Turkish counterparts; we have also discussed it with the Greek Foreign Minister. Key to the situation is dialogue, so we welcome President Erdoğan’s talks yesterday on the 2016 EU-Turkey migration deal with Council President Michel We will continue to support the implementation of the EU-Turkey deal, as it is crucial in effectively managing migratory flows and preventing people risking their lives by attempting to cross the Aegean. At the same time, we recognise Turkey’s generosity and the burden of supporting millions of refugees who have fled the civil war in Syria. Both Greece and Turkey face additional challenges as a result of increased migrant flows. We are providing support for their response. In addition to providing humanitarian assistance in Syria, the UK is providing interpreters on the Greek island hotspots and search and rescue operations in the Aegean. We are taking forward a range of capacity-building projects with Turkey’s Directorate General of Migration Management, and we are working across government to explore where the UK can provide further support to improve the conditions for migrants, especially the most vulnerable As I say, a principal cause of the migration situation is the reckless and brutal nature of the Syrian regime and the Russian offensive in Idlib. The Syria conflict has been one of the most destructive in recent human history, and we want the war to end as quickly as possible. We very much welcome the recent ceasefire between Turkey and Russia, but it cannot stop there. We also continue to support efforts to renew political dialogue in order to bring a lasting end to the Syrian conflict. We support the constitutional committee in Geneva as a first step towards obtaining the peace that the Syrian people so desperately need, and regret that the talks have broken down The regime and its backers must now demonstrate commitment to resolving this conflict by engaging in good faith with the constitutional committee and the UN’s efforts. Preventing a further worsening of the humanitarian crisis is imperative, and we will do all we can to support those in need while pressing for an end to the Syrian conflict that has impacted so many around the world."
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Tariq Ahmad (Conservative, Centre-right): Then noble Baroness raises a very valid issue. Indeed, when I was being briefed, that was a specific question. As she will appreciate, the situation is fluid. While immediate medical attention is being provided, there is no exact figure for the numbers who may be caught up in the coronavirus crisis. As she will be aware, part of the issue is that Turkey has closed its border with its near neighbour Iran, for containment reasons. However, a specific assessment of the numbers has not been made. On the wider point raised by the noble Lord, Lord Collins, we of course continue to lead. For the past three years, the UK has been the leading nation, with close to a quarter of the refugees who have taken safe haven across the EU coming to the UK.
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Kenneth Baker (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I am sure the Minister is aware that the best cards are held by President Erdoğan, who, I understand, left yesterday’s discussions with Europe without any agreement. There are 4 million Syrians in Turkey, and there will be another million if Assad takes Idlib. If that great mass of humanity decides to walk north, as 1 million people did in 2015, there will be an enormous crisis. It would affect us as well, because there would be pressure on the channel ports. If that is the case, I hope the Government will not make comments from the sidelines but will be actively involved in trying to resolve the crisis. Coronavirus will be settled in time, but mass migration on this scale would create problems for generations.
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Tariq Ahmad (Conservative, Centre-right): The noble Lord raises an important point. We have sought to assist, and I have referred to some of the support we have provided directly to Greece, including technical support for the islands impacted by the refugee crisis. We have also called on both Governments to continue their dialogue on this issue. In response to his specific question about taking our share of the burden, the noble Lord will be aware of the announcement of a new resettlement scheme, which will take 5,000 refugees this year.
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Tariq Ahmad (Conservative, Centre-right): I assure my noble friend that we continue to make the case with our Turkish counterparts. As I said, the Prime Minister has talked directly to the President of Turkey in this respect. Turkey has played a major role in providing support for refugees in this crisis fleeing the conflict zone in Syria, including Kurdish refugees. We continue to make the case for ensuring that the refugees are provided with safety, security and, in the current climate, support for their health needs.
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Tariq Ahmad (Conservative, Centre-right): The noble Baroness will know that the UK has a proud record of helping vulnerable children and has granted protection to more than 41,000 children since 2010. This will remain a priority. I cannot speak for the Greek Government; I can speak for mine. We have a proud record of preventing and supporting unaccompanied minors. That will remain a priority.
International Women’s Day — House of Lords, 2020-03-10
Topic: Civil Rights
Rachel Trixie Anne Gardner (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, this is an important day, and it is important that we are having this debate. I congratulate my noble friend Lord Ranger on his maiden speech I have been very involved in this subject because Jean Trumpington appointed me to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, a position I enjoyed very much. It was an important position in many ways because all the small countries did not want to admit that there was any unpleasantness in their country at all. It was only when we took a stand and admitted that we had a problem with domestic violence that it gave them the courage and opportunity to feel that they could speak out. It was very good that we brought the subject up, and we had to think twice, very carefully, about it. The UN Commission on the Status of Women meetings were always in New York and we were seated alphabetically, so the UK was between the USA and the USSR. This was during the Cold War; whatever one said, the other contradicted. Then I would have to come in with something that resolved the two opinions and then the rest of the chamber would say, "Yes, fine." Then they would say, "Yes, we defer to the Shakespeare English." Anyone in this building would roar with laughter about "Shakespeare English" when I have a strong Australian accent, even after all these years. Nevertheless, it was a sign that the Australians were prepared to accept it as well It was important to do those things. In so many countries, the men did pretty well nothing. They would sit in the sunshine while the women worked at tilling the land. You had to do what you could for international women. When I was chairman of Plan International for some 12 years, we helped people in Latin America. There you had to feel that the people understood and would carry on and do whatever they had agreed to do. Usually they did, and they welcomed it It is very important for us not to be frightened. I must congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Gale, because what was said about her earlier is little more than the bare facts. She really has done a huge amount for women’s affairs and is very genuine in her interest in them. I admire her for it. I went to a conference in Malta with her, which went very well indeed. I have nothing much to say, other than I have daughters—I have no sons—and they are into everything you would hope. It is so good to be drawing attention to this today.
Census (England and Wales) Order 2020 — House of Lords, 2020-05-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Stopford (Conservative, Centre-right): That items 2 (resident particulars), 5, 6 (visitor particulars), 10, 11, 13, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24 (demographic particulars), 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 36(d) (education and employment particulars), 41, 42, 43 (accommodation particulars), 45, 46 (additional particulars for individual returns) in Schedule 2, and items 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Schedule 3 to the draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2020, which was laid before the House on 2 March, be approved Relevant document: Special attention drawn to the instrument by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, 9th Report. Considered in Virtual Proceedings on 12 May.
Arrangement of Business — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Other
Michael Bates (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, the Hybrid Sitting of the House will now begin. A limited number of Members are here in the Chamber, respecting social distancing. Other Members will participate remotely, but all Members will be treated equally, wherever they are. For Members participating remotely, microphones will unmute shortly before they are to speak—please accept any on-screen prompt to unmute. Microphones will be muted after each speech. I ask noble Lords to be patient if there are any short delays as we switch between physical and remote participants. Oral Questions will now commence. Please ensure that questions and answers are short.
Arrangement of Business — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Other
Michael Bates (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, we now come to questions on the Answer to a Commons Urgent Question on the probity of the planning process. The Answer itself will not be repeated. For Members participating remotely, microphones will unmute shortly before they are to speak. Please accept any on-screen prompt to unmute. I remind the House that our normal courtesies in debate still apply in the hybrid way of working. Please keep questions and answers short.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State followed entirely the planning guidelines that were set out by the MHCLG. I do not accept the way that this has been put to me —that he in any way broke the law. He sought to ensure that there was no inference of bias and that the planning decision would be redetermined. That was agreed with the local planning authority in Tower Hamlets and the Mayor of London.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course these requirements apply to the Secretary of State, but it is absolutely clear that at every step of the way, he disclosed all that he needed to disclose to the department, and that he followed the rules set out in the MHCLG’s propriety planning ethics.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Andrew Lansley (Conservative, Centre-right): My noble friend will be aware that public confidence in planning appeals and called-in decisions on appeals depends on speedy and independent reports from the Planning Inspectorate. Considerable progress was made last year, following the Rosewell review, in speeding up Planning Inspectorate decisions, but we may have lost quite a lot of that in the last few months. How might the Planning Inspectorate speed up its decisions in the months ahead to give greater confidence in these decisions being made?
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, probity in the planning system is absolutely critical to its function. We are also aware of the delays in making decisions on the part of the Planning Inspectorate. The Secretary of State and Ministers have insisted on the Planning Inspectorate responding to the current environment and delivering decisions from mid-June by virtual means.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not feel that it is appropriate to comment on a live planning application. I am sure that the Secretary of State followed the MHCLG guidance on propriety matters in planning absolutely to the letter and disclosed all that he needed to, in this application and in all the others that he determined.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): Let us be clear. It was the letter from the department that was sent out on 14 January. The determination by the Secretary of State was made a considerable time before that—certainly before the end of the year—and the planning application went on to his desk with the planning casework in December. As the noble Baroness will know, only a small proportion of decisions have ministerial involvement. Of the 447,000 applications, we are talking about 26 ministerial decisions, which is a tiny fraction. There are many occasions when the Secretary of State will decide to go against the planning inspector or the local planning authority to encourage the supply side of development—so I do not recognise what the noble Baroness says.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): This is about the probity of the planning system. It is quite right that currently we do not have taxpayer funding for political parties. All the fundraising by the Conservative Party adheres to the guidelines around donations. Ministers have no part in that. That is a topic for another day, but, regarding probity in this matter, it is absolutely clear that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State followed the guidance on planning propriety, as outlined by the department, every step of the way.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
Andrew Robathan (Conservative, Centre-right): Following on from the question asked by the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, I pay tribute to the Holocaust Educational Trust that some dozen years ago took me on an inspirational yet horrifying visit to Auschwitz. However, Victoria Tower Gardens is the wrong place for an educational centre. Again, there is huge local opposition. It would cause congestion and pollution and destroy a precious green space in central London. Will the Minister take back to his department the message that the planning application should be sent back for local decision-making?
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Public Lands
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): I note my noble friend’s point about the strength of feeling locally about the location of this memorial, although I will not comment on a specific planning matter. I am sure that the decision will be determined entirely appropriately and in line with the department’s guidelines on ministerial involvement in planning decisions.
Planning Process: Probity — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): To be absolutely clear, those discussions over the development simply did not occur. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State was seated next to Mr Desmond. That was not of his choosing. The matter was raised by Mr Desmond and the Secretary of State refused to comment on the planning application. The position that we are now in is that to ensure that there is no inference of bias, as I said in a previous answer, this matter will be determined, as agreed, with the Mayor of London and the planning authority for Tower Hamlets.
Arrangement of Business — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Other
Michael Bates (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, we now come to the repeat of a Commons Urgent Question on Covid-19 two-metre social distancing. For Members participating remotely, microphones will unmute shortly before they are to speak—please accept any on-screen prompt to unmute. I remind the House that our usual courtesies in debate still apply in this new hybrid way of working.
Social Distancing: Two-metre Rule — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Bethell (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not recognise the contention of the noble Lord. Having been in many meetings with our scientific advisers, I deny the suggestion that scientists are open to being pressured by politicians. The advice that they have given is clear-cut and it is for us to consider its value. The noble Lord does scientists no favours by implying that they might be changeable under pressure.
Social Distancing: Two-metre Rule — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
Peter Bowness (Conservative, Centre-right): There is a reluctance to give specific dates and targets, although targets on their own are not precluded in that reluctance. I am sure that my noble friend is aware that subjecting businesses, especially in the holiday and travel area, to this great uncertainty is giving rise to many problems, including among the general public, who do not understand why more specific dates or targets cannot be given. That means that there is a considerable lack of confidence. We have been told today that travel insurance companies are talking about not covering people unless they can show that they have complied with local social distancing rules. What efforts are being made by the Government to get a Europe-wide agreement on social distancing, especially at airports and on aeroplanes, and in restaurants and hotels?
Social Distancing: Two-metre Rule — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Michael Bates (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I am afraid that the time allowed for questions on this Urgent Question has now elapsed. I call on the Whip to move that the House be adjourned until 1.30 pm for the Committee stage of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill.
Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rosalind Altmann (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I have added my name to a number of amendments in this group. If I may, I will leave it to those who formally move the amendments to expand on their thinking and I will give just an overview, in the interests of time I support the Bill’s aims. Clearly, it is vital to protect as many jobs and businesses as possible during the pandemic, as the noble Lord, Lord Leigh, rightly says, but due to the speed with which the Bill was introduced, some of the novel ways in which individuals are introduced into the potential insolvency process or the corporate rescue process may need further strengthening. Indeed, further checks and limitations to reduce the risk of the moratorium being abused and more explicit duties on the monitor to ensure their independence are needed. The Bill does not impose any statutory requirement for the monitor to be independent of the company directors, who appoint the monitor.
Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill — House of Lords, 2020-06-16
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Robin Granville Hodgson (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I have Amendments 8, 21 and 42 in this group. I remind your Lordships’ House of my entry in the register of interests The amendments are of a practical nature and are drawn from my experience as an investor in and director of private equity funds and small companies over many years. Before I turn to them, I will just repeat to the Minister how unsatisfactory is the way the Bill is being dealt with. We are mixing coronavirus amendments —which we all understand have to happen quickly—with permanent changes to our insolvency law, and this is a rushed job that may well rebound to cause more trouble for the Government than they like. The reason I want to repeat the points that I made at Second Reading is that since that debate on a Bill littered with Henry VIII clauses took place, we have had a report from the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee. I do not think I have ever read a report that is quite so critical of a Bill. I have to say to my noble friend that if Members of your Lordships’ House are inclined to push amendments to restrict those Henry VIII clauses today or at future date, I shall feel obliged to support them, because we have a very bad mix here The purpose of Amendment 8 is to facilitate and encourage the use of moratoriums. Events leading to a company’s collapse proceed at two speeds. It first happens at a slow speed, while the directors think, hope and pray that something will turn up—that a contract will be won, some money will come in, or an investor will appear. Inevitably, when Mr Micawber does not turn up, things have to move very quickly indeed. Then, if they decide to appoint a monitor, the time for him to make his decision is very limited indeed. As we know from the wording of the Bill, he has to make a statement that it is likely that a moratorium would result in the rescue of the company as a going concern.