argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Unemployment: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): I join my right hon. Friend in paying tribute to the hard work and commitment of the Harlow jobcentre staff throughout these difficult times. We are in active discussions on a new DWP youth hub in Harlow. Those at Harlow jobcentre, alongside our 600-plus other jobcentres, do an immense job daily, encouraging and helping our most vulnerable claimants and supporting all individuals based on their circumstances, and that is where kickstart and other programmes will come in. Jobcentres do work locally with external partners—with charities, local employers and key organisations across Harlow and elsewhere—on local recovery plans and local needs.
Unemployment Trends — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): The latest ONS labour market unemployment level in the east of England is 137,000, and the national rate now stands at 4.8%. In addition to other measures, the DWP has established "job help" and "employer help" websites to provide jobseekers locally and employers the opportunity to get guidance and tools to help people find new roles.
Unemployment Trends — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): That is absolutely the reason we have the job help website and at DWP our rapid response service. That is why we have our £30 billion plan for jobs, which includes the JETS—job entry targeted support—scheme, the "find a job" support service and the new employer help and job help websites.
Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit Reductions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
William James Quince (Conservative, Centre-right): Analysis from Her Majesty’s Treasury shows that the Government’s interventions have supported the poorest working households the most, with those in the bottom 10% of the income distribution seeing no reduction in income. As the Government have done throughout this crisis, they will continue to assess how best to support low-income families, which is why we will look at the economic and health context in the new year.
Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit Reductions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
William James Quince (Conservative, Centre-right): First, I do not recognise those figures and certainly nobody is making that case. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has confirmed the universal credit uplift until March 2021, and it is right that we wait for more clarity on the national economic and social picture before assessing the best way to support low-income families moving forward. I would just gently say to the hon. Lady that the uplift is just one part of a comprehensive package that we have put in place to support people through this most difficult of periods.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): Last week I announced the outcome of my annual uprating review. It delivers on our manifesto commitment for the pensions triple lock, thus providing financial peace of mind for pensioners across the UK. The basic and new state pension will be increased by 2.5% as that is the highest of the increases—inflation, earnings or 2.5%—and it means that from April 2021 the yearly basic state pension will be worth around £2,050 more in cash terms than in 2010.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course, being in tier 3 has been put forward by the Government, and I am very conscious of the efforts that were being made right across Birmingham and other areas of the west midlands to get out of that tier. As regards matters such as statutory maternity pay, a lot of these things continue to be under consideration, but I will consider the points the hon. Gentleman has made.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Environment
Damien Moore (Conservative, Centre-right): Last week many of my Southport constituents warmly welcomed the creation of 250,000 green-collar jobs, but may I ask my right hon. Friend to outline what more her Department is doing to encourage environmentally sustainable investments by pension funds?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend rightly draws attention to this important point. As a result of actions by this Government the UK is the first major economy to put climate risk and disclosure into statute for pension schemes, leading the way on this issue, having already legislated for net zero by 2050 and introduced ESG—environment, social and governance—legislation through 2018 amendments to the occupational pension schemes investment regulations. I genuinely look forward to when we manage to complete the Pension Schemes Bill to bring all that into effect.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is right to draw attention to our plan for jobs. He will be aware that there are a number of schemes already under way, including kickstart, JETS and the sector-based work academy programme. It will take a little time to contract for the long-term unemployment programme, but I assure him that, compared with the last financial crisis just over a decade ago under the Labour Government, we have acted far more quickly in getting these employment contracts in place, because we need to make sure that people do what they can to try to remain connected to the labour market.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Government introduced a raft of temporary measures to support those hardest hit, including the furlough scheme, the self-employment income support scheme and the £20 UC uplift. The Chancellor has confirmed the UC uplift until March ’21, and it is right that we wait for more clarity on the national economic and social picture before assessing the best way to support low-income families moving forward. That is exactly what I put in the written ministerial statement last week.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Mark Ian Jenkinson (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government’s investment in work coaches is hugely welcome. I have seen for myself what an important role they play in helping people into new roles and careers in Workington. Will the Minister join me in encouraging people across the country to consider joining the DWP as a work coach?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): Work coaches are vital in delivering our £30 billion plan for jobs. They have done an amazing job already this year, with an additional almost 5,000 work coaches already recruited, another 1,700 agreed starts in the pipeline and recruitment open again. We will be advertising for 3,000 more posts between now and the end of January, in addition to the posts currently advertised. Search "work coach" on gov.uk to apply.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): We want to make sure that all eligible pensioners claim the pension credit to which they are rightly entitled, and we want to encourage people to either call the free claim line—0800 999 1234—or go online to gov.uk/pension-credit. We did a considerable amount of advertising earlier in the year to encourage that, and of course the BBC has, in effect, done some free advertising, recognising that those people who have pension credit will also get a free TV licence.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): As part of our plan for jobs, the new job-finding support and JETS services will, crucially, help jobseekers move back into employment as quickly as possible, helping them to identify sectors that could be growing or new to them. I met our JETS providers just last week to hear some of their early success stories from across England and Wales. JETS rolls out in Scotland in early January.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
William James Quince (Conservative, Centre-right): First, let me say that I appreciate that many people are facing financial disruption due to the pandemic, and the Government have put an unprecedented package of support in place. The universal credit uplift was designed to be targeted at those facing the most financial disruption, but most working-age legacy benefits will be increased in April next year in line with inflation, and legacy benefits recipients could benefit from the local housing allowance or, indeed, the local welfare assistance schemes. I remind the House that claimants on legacy benefits can make a claim to universal credit if they believe they would be better off, but I would encourage them to check their eligibility as their legacy benefit entitlement will cease on application.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): The situation that happens with aspects of pensions is quite complicated and often these are reciprocal arrangements, so that is where such things as aggregation may well happen, but that does rely on those agreements being in place. That has been the policy on pensions for longer than any of us in this House have been alive, I expect, and it continues to be honoured. I am conscious of what the hon. Member says, but there may well be other elements of support that the constituent to whom she refers may be entitled.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
William James Quince (Conservative, Centre-right): The universal credit system has risen to the challenge, going up from 2.2 million to 5.8 million claimants. That is why we have this modern, agile, dynamic system. It has performed incredibly well and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Questions: Further to the Secretary of State’s previous answer, take-up of pension credit remains low, which is a particular challenge in my Delyn constituency, which has a much higher proportion of over-65s than average. Will she commit to meeting me to discuss how we can use places such as the BBC and other Government agencies to enhance the take-up of this important benefit?
Thérèse Anne Coffey (Conservative, Centre-right): I know that the Pensions Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman)—will be delighted to meet my hon. Friend and to look at this matter. We take this absolutely seriously, in terms of wanting people to get the benefits to which they are entitled, and I am sure that he, as a very diligent local MP, will be able to use every lever that he has to improve the prospects of his constituents.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: Further to the Secretary of State’s previous answer, take-up of pension credit remains low, which is a particular challenge in my Delyn constituency, which has a much higher proportion of over-65s than average. Will she commit to meeting me to discuss how we can use places such as the BBC and other Government agencies to enhance the take-up of this important benefit?
Jonathan Edward Gullis (Conservative, Centre-right): The £170 million winter support package recently announced by my right hon. Friend will be a lifeline for families hardest hit by covid-19 in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke, so will she ensure that community groups like the pop-up pantry in Chell and the Salvation Armies in Smallthorne, Kidsgrove and Tunstall get the support they need in order to support the most vulnerable in my community?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: Further to the Secretary of State’s previous answer, take-up of pension credit remains low, which is a particular challenge in my Delyn constituency, which has a much higher proportion of over-65s than average. Will she commit to meeting me to discuss how we can use places such as the BBC and other Government agencies to enhance the take-up of this important benefit?
William James Quince (Conservative, Centre-right): Our £170 million covid winter grant scheme will enable local authorities to support vulnerable households this winter with food and key utilities. As the Secretary of State has made clear, there are conditions, but I would certainly encourage local authorities to work with partners on the ground, making sure that this support reaches people across our communities.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Labor
Questions: Further to the Secretary of State’s previous answer, take-up of pension credit remains low, which is a particular challenge in my Delyn constituency, which has a much higher proportion of over-65s than average. Will she commit to meeting me to discuss how we can use places such as the BBC and other Government agencies to enhance the take-up of this important benefit?
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): The latest ONS labour market data puts the unemployment level in the west midlands region at 145,000. Due to the pandemic, this rate has risen nationally. DWP is working across Government and looking very closely at these figures, using, for example, on older workers, our "Fuller Working Lives" plan. We are working with external organisations and partners to ensure a local and tailored response for all communities so that people are not left behind. As the hon. Member will have heard, we are recruiting additional work coaches as well to make sure that new and existing claimants get the opportunity to return to fulfilling work.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: Further to the Secretary of State’s previous answer, take-up of pension credit remains low, which is a particular challenge in my Delyn constituency, which has a much higher proportion of over-65s than average. Will she commit to meeting me to discuss how we can use places such as the BBC and other Government agencies to enhance the take-up of this important benefit?
Justin Paul Tomlinson (Conservative, Centre-right): The Department for Work and Pensions will work with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations and disability stakeholder groups on the Green Paper to shape the way we provide financial support and general support across our services. However, I remind the hon. Gentleman that this year, there has been a 5% increase—up to £20 billion—in supporting people with disabilities through benefits, and that the legacy benefit increases also impacted on the changes in the local housing allowance. There has also been the increase in discretionary housing support, the various employment support schemes and additional support from local authorities, from which many disabled people will have benefited.
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Chris Ian Brian Mynott Philp (Conservative, Centre-right): This charter flight to Jamaica is specifically to remove foreign criminals. The offences committed by the individuals on this flight include sexual assault against children, murder, rape, drug dealing and violent crime. Those are serious offences, which have a real and lasting impact on the victims and on our communities. This flight is about criminality, not nationality. Let me emphasise: it has nothing to do with the terrible wrongs faced by the Windrush generation. Despite the extensive lobbying by some, who claim that the flight is about the Windrush generation, it is not. Not a single individual on the flight is eligible for the Windrush scheme. They are all Jamaican citizens and no one on the flight was born in the United Kingdom. They are all foreign national offenders who between them have served 228 years plus a life sentence in prison It is a long-standing Government policy that any foreign national offender will be considered for deportation. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, which was introduced and passed by a Labour Government with the votes of a number of hon. Members who are present today, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national offender has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. Under the Immigration Act 1971, FNOs who have caused serious harm or are persistent offenders are also eligible for consideration Let me put this flight in context. In the year ending June 2020, there were 5,208 enforced returns, of which 2,630, or over half, were to European Union countries, and only 33 out of over 5,000 were to Jamaica—less than 1%. During the pandemic, we have continued with returns and deportations on scheduled flights and on over 30 charter flights to countries including Albania, France, Germany, Ghana, Lithuania, Nigeria, Poland and Spain, none of which, I notice, provoked an urgent question. The clear majority of the charter flights this year have been to European countries Those being deported have ample opportunity to raise reasons why they should not be. We are, however, already seeing a number of last-minute legal claims, including, in the last few days, by a convicted murderer, who has now been removed from the flight This Government’s priority is keeping the people of this country safe, and we make no apology—no apology—for seeking to remove dangerous foreign criminals. Any Member of this House with the safety of their constituents at heart would do exactly the same.
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert John Blackman (Conservative, Centre-right): Will my hon. Friend make it clear that people who come to the United Kingdom to contribute to our economy and our society are most welcome, but that those who come from foreign countries and then commit the most heinous of crimes, be it murder, sexual violence, violence against children or violence against the person, can expect to experience the full force of law and then be required to leave the country at the end of their sentence? Does he agree that, far from the public disagreeing with that, they are wholly in support of it and expect the Government to take this action to keep society safe?
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Benjamin David Bradley (Conservative, Centre-right): The overwhelming majority of Mansfield residents will feel that foreign criminals of any nationality who violate our laws and our values should be removed from this country. Will my hon. Friend assure me and my constituents that it is public safety that is at the front of his mind; will he be clear that Labour’s attempts to draw everything into an argument about race are both plainly wrong and quite brazenly an attempt to silence people it disagrees with; and will he call out those celebrities who have spent the weekend trying to use their public profiles to shame businesses into not helping to remove murderers from the UK?
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Jack Edgar Brereton (Conservative, Centre-right): The Opposition have been very clear that they oppose the Government’s efforts to deport foreign criminals who pose a risk to the British public and the people of Stoke-on- Trent. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Conservative party is the only party committed to law and order, evidenced further by our extra funding for more police?
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Chris Ian Brian Mynott Philp (Conservative, Centre-right): Let me start by offering the Home Affairs Committee Chairman reassurance in regard to the flight this week. All the people in scope for that flight have had their cases individually checked, and none of them is in the scope of the Windrush compensation scheme. As I have said, none was born in the United Kingdom. So those checks that she rightly calls for have been diligently carried out. In relation to the 32 historical cases that she refers to, I will look into that and write to her.
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Timothy Paul Loughton (Conservative, Centre-right): I find it extraordinary that the Opposition should choose an urgent question to plead the case for serious foreign criminals rather than standing up for the victims of crime, particularly on a day when an urgent question might be more appropriate on the issue of the imminent and extraordinarily early release of a woman, Mairead Philpott, who was jailed for the killing of six of her own children. Can my hon. Friend—
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Chris Ian Brian Mynott Philp (Conservative, Centre-right): I certainly concur that Mr Speaker is wholly infallible in all matters I share my hon. Friend’s surprise at this question being tabled when the Government are simply discharging not only their duty but their obligation under an Act of Parliament passed by the last Labour Government, with the votes of a number of Members who are sitting on the Opposition side of the Chamber this afternoon. We are doing the right thing by protecting our fellow citizens. Many of the people concerned were living in the community rather than being housed. Our principal objective is public safety rather than finances, but his last point about charter flights is right. We suffer astonishingly high levels of legal attrition on these flights, largely as a result of legal claims often made at the very last minute—sometimes I wonder if they are intentionally made at the last minute—and we need to tighten up our legal system. As my hon. Friend may know, the Government intend to legislate next year to do exactly that.
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert Butler (Conservative, Centre-right): As a magistrate and on many prison visits, I have frequently encountered criminals who came to the UK from overseas and committed serious offences that caused pain, suffering and long-lasting psychological harm. Does my hon. Friend agree that the responsibility of all of us across this House is to stand up for the victims of those crimes?
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Chris Ian Brian Mynott Philp (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend, speaking as a magistrate, hits the nail exactly on the head. The principal concern of Members of Parliament should be protecting the victims of crime and protecting our constituents from the harm that might otherwise be done to them by foreign national offenders. That is precisely why it is right to remove foreign national offenders—so that they cannot commit any more offences against our constituents.
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Marco Longhi (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my hon. Friend agree with me and my constituents in Dudley North that any person who comes to this country, engages in criminal activity, breaks our laws and abuses our hospitality has no place in our society, and that the Government are therefore doing the correct thing in the interests of national security by removing these people from our country?
Scheduled Mass Deportation: Jamaica — House of Commons, 2020-11-30
Topic: Law and Crime
Chris Ian Brian Mynott Philp (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I agree entirely. As I have said repeatedly, we are protecting our constituents from harm. These are dangerous offenders, whose offences including murder, rape and sexual assault against children. It would be irresponsible of us to allow people such as that to remain in this country when they are not nationals of the United Kingdom.