argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-10-11
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: The Prime Minister will know that financial and professional services are the UK’s largest source of tax revenue and our largest driver of trade surpluses. Yesterday I met representatives of that sector, who wanted me to pass on to the Prime Minister their warm support for the pragmatic, sensible arrangement that she has made to ensure the critical legal and contractual continuity that the sector needs as we leave the European Union. As well as recognising that, will she perhaps build on that positive approach by considering issuing a White Paper on our future vision for trade in services, as we have done for other sectors?; I fear that that “more” was not for me. I am afraid I must return to the subject of universal credit, but perhaps the difference between Government Members and Opposition Members is that we believe in universal credit’s transformative properties and want it to work. And work it will, but we have to get it right. I thank the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for promising on Monday to advertise more widely that advances are available to claimants, but many of us on the Government Benches feel that more people taking up those advances must surely mean that the in-built six-week wait just does not work. Will the Prime Minister please consider meeting me so that I can explain to her why, if we reduce that six-week wait, we will do a better job of supporting those just about managing families who are struggling to make ends meet and who have no savings to cover them over that period?
Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The Prime Minister cannot answer a simple question. [Interruption.] I am quite happy to wait. The reason why the Prime Minister cannot answer a simple question is that she is hamstrung by the parliamentary majority and a divided party of right-wing Brexiteers. This morning—[Interruption.]
Finance Bill — House of Commons, 2017-10-11
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Kirsty Ann Blackman (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 15 ordered to stand part of the Bill. New Clause 1 Review of conditions under which business investment relief is available ‘(1) Chapter A1 of Part 14 of ITA 2007 (remittance basis) is amended as follows. (2) After section 809VO (investments made from mixed funds), insert— "809VP  Review of conditions under which business investment relief is available  (1) Within six months of the coming into force of section 15 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 2017, the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs shall complete a review of the conditions under which business investment relief is available (2) For the purposes of this section "the conditions" means— (a) Condition A as defined in section 809VD, (b) Condition B as defined in section 809VF (3) The review shall make an estimate of the value of the reliefs granted as a result of the conditions in respect of each tax year for which the relief has been available (4) The review shall make an estimate of the change in the value of the reliefs granted as a result of— (a) changes to the conditions relating to eligible hybrid companies, (b) changes to the periods specified in sections 809VD and 809VH, (c) changes to the grace period in section 809VJ (5) The review shall make an assessment of the effectiveness of the conditions in relation to the stated policy aims of the Government in relation to business investment relief (6) The review shall prepare an analysis of the characteristics of beneficiaries of reliefs having particular regard to— (a) income distribution, (b) gender and other protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, (c) domicile (including deemed domicile) (7) A report of the review under this section shall be laid before the House of Commons within one calendar month of its completion."’—(Anneliese Dodds.) This new clause requires HMRC to carry out a review of the conditions under which business investment relief is available, including estimates of the value of the reliefs (before and after the changes proposed in this Bill) and an analysis of the characteristics of those using the relief, including their domicile status. Brought up, and read the First time. Question put, That the clause be read a Second time.
Consumer Rights — House of Commons, 2017-10-11
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Martyn Day (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker As I was saying, the petition arises from a problem experienced by my constituent Mrs Johnston with a firm called R & J Leather, of Uddingston, in purchasing a three-piece suite. The terms of the petition are fairly self-explanatory. It states: The petition of residents of Linlithgow and East Falkirk, Declares that the Consumer Rights Act of 2015 does not do enough to protect consumers against rogue traders who do not comply with the terms of the Act; further that the change to the Act in 2015, which gives consumers the right to reject goods within 30 days, which are not as described or faulty, is unenforceable; and further that currently, consumers cannot take any action against companies who do not participate in the Consumer Ombudsman scheme, and this leaves the consumer with the laborious task, if the company will not co-operate, of having to take a small claims action in court The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to review the Consumer Rights Act (2015) to ensure better protection for consumers; further asks the Government to review the terms of the Act, to make membership of a professional body for traders compulsory; and further that this action would allow consumers the ability to pursue a complaint with the Consumer Ombudsman And the petitioners remain, etc [P002063]
Leaving the EU: Ireland Act 1949 — House of Commons, 2017-11-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Martin John Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Along with the 1949 Act, the Good Friday agreement has been a pillar of progress, and it has also meant that the political funding rules in Northern Ireland were different from those in the rest of the United Kingdom. At the weekend, an openDemocracy investigation revealed that the Constitutional Research Council, an organisation with close ties to the Scottish Conservative party, has been given a record fine after failing to disclose the origin of a £425,000 donation to the DUP. Will the Secretary of State enlighten the House as to why the Constitutional Research Council was given that fine in the first place?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-11-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: In April 2015, the residents of Brownsover saw their only GP surgery close in an area of Rugby that once had significant challenges but that, thanks to the great work of local councillors, has been regenerated. My constituents reluctantly accepted short-term pain for the long-term gain of a new surgery that would open the following summer. Regrettably, the project still has not yet started, so I wonder whether the Prime Minister might meet me and Brownsover patients’ action group to consider the slippage in this much needed facility.
Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I associate myself with the remarks of the Prime Minister. However, Scottish fire and police are the only forces in the United Kingdom to be charged VAT, depriving frontline services of £140 million since 2013. The SNP has raised this issue 30 times in this Chamber. Will the UK Government now give Scotland’s emergency services our £140 million back and scrap the VAT? This has been a long-standing SNP campaign, and we will not give up.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-11-15
Topic: Civil Rights
Peter Grant (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Yes, it did. A 600-page White Paper was also produced a year or so before the referendum, which allowed everyone taking part to be a lot better informed than even the same Scots voters were about the EU referendum It is also worth reminding ourselves that after what has been described as a disastrous and divisive referendum, the first thing that happened in Scotland was that campaigners from all sides got together in local churches, held services of reconciliation and committed ourselves to working together to make the result work, even if it was not the result that we wanted. In the immediate aftermath of the EU referendum, there was a massive increase in crimes of racial hatred against citizens in this country and elsewhere. That was not the fault of those who voted to leave, but a consequence of how the referendum had been set out and how, for too many people, the campaign was conducted.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-11-15
Topic: Immigration
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): My hon. Friend makes a very good point about EU nationals. While the UK has been in deficit since 2001, the only part of the population that has been paying its own way and standing on its own two feet are EU nationals. They are in surplus to the tune of £2 billion or £3 billion. We see what happens when they start to become scarce. It is happening in Cornwall, with crops unpicked. We need these people and there should be a Government apology for the 16 months of uncertainty that they have had to go through.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-11-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Neil Charles Gray (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): My hon. Friend makes very salient points. He represents a constituency that relies on those skills and labour If the UK Government are serious about their apparent respect for the Scottish Government’s role in this process—undermined, of course, by them voting down yesterday the devolved Parliaments’ legislative consent-enabling amendment 79 in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Arfon (Hywel Williams), which Labour, with the honourable exception of the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Albert Owen), shamefully abstained on—and want to give some integrity to their claim of respecting the role of the devolved Administrations, perhaps the Minister will provide clarity now on whether, given Scotland’s different legal jurisdiction, the UK Government have discussed and consulted on clause 4 with Holyrood. This is important because the clause is about how laws will be transposed and interpreted domestically. The UK Government must recognise that Scotland has an entirely separate legal system, even if the Leader of the Opposition is not aware of the separate existence of Scots law We support new clause 30, which was tabled by the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas). It deals with important animal rights, specifically to ensure that animals continue to be recognised as sentient beings under domestic law. We will vote with her in the Lobby, should the new clause be pressed to a vote.
Representation of the People (Young People’s Enfranchisement and Education) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-11-03
Topic: Civil Rights
Alison Emily Thewliss (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman might not realise that this debate has been pursued by the Scottish National party for some years, including in Winnie Ewing’s maiden speech in November 1967. There has consistently been an argument for reducing the voting age. Does he not agree that it is now time to act on those demands rather than continuing to kick the issue into the long grass?
Representation of the People (Young People’s Enfranchisement and Education) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-11-03
Topic: Civil Rights
Joanna Catherine Cherry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I asked the hon. Gentleman how I had been patronising, but I think it would be much better to return to the issue at hand. Why should the young people of the United Kingdom aged 16 and 17 not get the vote as they have done in Scotland?
Music: Contribution to the UK Economy — House of Commons, 2017-11-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alison Emily Thewliss (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman mentions international music festivals. Would he like to pay tribute to the organisers of the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, which brings international acts to the city? Does he share my concern that visa restrictions following Brexit could put at risk such wonderful events?
Committee on Standards: Members’ Code of Conduct Review — House of Commons, 2022-02-03
Topic: Other
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I do not have time to give way to the hon. Gentleman, as I have to leave time for the Front Benchers. I know that this is precarious territory, and the hon. Member for Rhondda has outlined a number of the difficulties, but this is something that we have to resolve. We cannot have a situation where Ministers can say practically anything and expect to be believed but if anyone challenges it, they end up with the prospect of being flung out of the House. That cannot go on. I want to end by congratulating the Committee. This is a great report and we have a good basis for going forward. I hope that this debate has helped the hon. Gentleman in forming his view when considering the final report.
Crown Estate: Devolution — House of Commons, 2022-02-09
Topic: Mixed Topics
Richard Gordon Thomson (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Well, it has not put off investment in Scotland, certainly The Crown Estate portfolio in Wales, with its marine assets, has risen in value from £49 million in 2020 to its current value of £603 million. The evidence from Scotland is that it is hugely beneficial for the devolved Government to be handling that and maximising the supply chain opportunities. Why is the Minister not open to the idea of devolving it, or is the message to the people of Wales that when it comes to governance in Wales, Westminster still knows best?
TOEIC English Language Tests — House of Commons, 2022-02-09
Topic: Immigration
Stuart Campbell McDonald (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I too pay tribute to the very tenacious right hon. Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms), as well as to Migrant Voice, the immigration lawyers and most of all the students who have all refused to accept the outrageous injustices perpetrated on them by the Home Office. Yes, there was significant fraud, but the Home Office must wake up to the fact that there was systemic injustice for innocent students. It came about because, despite its having been put under criminal investigation, that very same company, ETS, was asked by the Home Office to be judge and jury on tens of thousands of students and to mark its own tainted, dodgy homework That company’s verdicts were accepted without question; no opportunity was given to students to provide their own evidence, or even to see or hear the evidence against them. It was not so much Home Office negligence as maliciousness, and one of the worst excesses of the hostile environment policy. The questions today are: what will be done to fix it and what lessons can be learned On fixing it, it is not good enough to hide behind out-of-country appeals or judicial reviews. Those are hopeless processes. The Minister needs to consult on a process that is independent and fast and that can allow students to right the wrongs that have been meted out to them, and there will also have to be a compensation scheme. Finally, what has the Home Office learned from all of this, and is it not about time that this whole episode was also handed to Wendy Williams?
TOEIC English Language Tests — House of Commons, 2022-02-09
Topic: Immigration
Alison Emily Thewliss (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I have constituents who are affected by the TOEIC scandal, and I also have constituents who are affected by the paragraph 322(5) highly-skilled migrants scandal. What they have in common is the devastating impact of accusations of being of poor character or of cheating. Will the Minister look again at the cases of my constituents, all of whom claim to have had no bad character and no cheating? Will he apologise to them for the hell he has put them through?
Autistic People in the Workforce — House of Commons, 2022-02-07
Topic: Mixed Topics
Carol Frances Monaghan (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): My constituent has a range of conditions, including autism, which has left him with a mental age of 10. He underwent a telephone work capability assessment without a parent or guardian present, which resulted in a reduction in his employment and support allowance. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the case? What steps are being taken to ensure that autistic people and those with additional support needs are helped into work and not targeted in such a manner?
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2022-02-07
Topic: Civil Rights
Martin John Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Last Monday, in my constituency, I had the immense privilege of assisting to hoist the holocaust memorial flag to commemorate everyone who was butchered or medically experimented on by national socialism as it dominated the continent of Europe As co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, I was utterly dumbfounded at the weekend when the holocaust was used to poke fun at one of the most marginalised groups in these islands. The Roma and Gypsy community have been part of the story of these islands for millennia and, as co-chair of the APPG, I can tell the House that it was not funny Comedy is a useful tool in lightening the mood, and it is often up to us to decide what we believe to be funny. What opportunities are there for Members of this House to show their support and commitment to the dignity of the suffering of all those who lost their lives during the holocaust—Jews, Gypsies, Roma, the LGBT community, Jehovah’s Witnesses and many others—such as an Adjournment debate or a Backbench Business debate? [Interruption.] Perhaps Conservative Members should listen. What opportunities are there to recognise the value and worth of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community across these islands, and to raise them up, not put them down?
Social Security and Pensions — House of Commons, 2022-02-07
Topic: Other
David Melvyn Linden (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Minister may have inadvertently misled the House in saying that that sum was for the Scottish Government, rather than the devolved Administrations. I am sure he will want to correct that at the Dispatch Box.
Social Security and Pensions — House of Commons, 2022-02-07
Topic: Civil Rights
David Melvyn Linden (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The Government are not just giving overseas pensioners the right to vote but changing legislation to allow overseas pensioners the right to donate to election campaigns. So the Government are quite happy to take those pensioners’ money, but they are not happy to give those pensioners the money that they paid in.
Student and Graduate Finance: Cost of Living — House of Commons, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) student and (b) graduate finance in the context of the cost of living.; What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) student and (b) graduate finance in the context of the cost of living.
Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Despite what the Minister said, the fact is that the Government have broken yet another promise that the student loan repayment threshold would be frozen. That means that, when student loan repayments are taken into consideration, together with the national insurance tax hike, graduates earning just over £27,000 a year will pay a marginal tax rate of an eye-watering 42.25%. Will the Minister explain to the House why she thinks that is fair?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: The Secretary of State is sadly unable to be with us today, but will one of his Ministers commit him to meet me to discuss the universal accreditation scheme proposed in my recently published “Poverty Trapped” paper? It would mean that universities and colleges could give credit for knowledge and skills gained not just in formal education but in work or informal settings, to make it easier, cheaper and faster to switch careers and to level up opportunities so that everyone has a better chance to succeed.; The main issue in schools across Hampshire at the moment is SEND provision. There is a major increase in need as more students obtain their education, health and care plans, but a significant shortfall in personnel, even though the funding is in place. Will the Minister meet me and Steve Jones of Perins School, which is in my constituency—the dreaded Zoom is absolutely fine—so that we can talk about recruitment not only of teachers, but of student-facing support staff?
Carol Frances Monaghan (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Times Higher Education has reported that several UK universities are providing Afghan Chevening scholars with considerable financial assistance, from food vouchers to laptops. Although that is to be commended, it is shocking that the financial contribution of the UK is not covering what these students need. What discussions has the Minister had with colleagues in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to increase the financial contribution and to properly support these Afghan students?
Sue Gray Report — House of Commons, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Kirsten Frances Oswald (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): During his statement, the Prime Minister kept referring to "we" when he talked about the sorry saga that Sue Gray has reported, but it is his rules, his rule-breaking and his inability to tell the truth about it that is the issue. He is the Prime Minister. Does he not take any personal responsibility at all for this disgraceful fiasco?
Sue Gray Report — House of Commons, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alan Brown (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I thought the people of Lancashire were supposed to be straight speaking, but I can assure people that my constituents are calling the Prime Minister a lot more than a wally—words I cannot repeat. We have staff who were too frightened to raise concerns about behaviour that they knew was ongoing. Half the staff invited to the bring your own booze party did not turn up, because they knew it was wrong, yet the Prime Minister said he thought it was a work event and within the rules. His lack of leadership and judgment is also shown by the "let the bodies pile high" comment about a second lockdown. The one thing that the leader of the Scottish Tories has said that is true is that this Prime Minister is not fit for office. Given that the Prime Minister will do anything to save his own skin, does that mean that the leader of the Scottish Tories will get binned as well?
Sue Gray Report — House of Commons, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I have enjoyed the exercise this afternoon. I also wanted to enjoy the Prime Minister’s answers to questions, but unfortunately he has ducked and dived, and done everything but answer questions about a party on 13 November, about whether he will put out the final report—
Sue Gray Report — House of Commons, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Steven Bonnar (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): We do know that staff were made to work in conditions that made them feel uneasy, and perhaps even unsafe, and they also felt that they were unable to say something. People were exposed to a potentially deadly virus, unable to say something about it, in their workplace, while parties were raging on around and about them, "At least some" of which, says Mrs Gray, "represent a serious failure to observe…the high standards expected of those working at the heart of Government" Who is responsible for that, Prime Minister?