argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): I beg to move, That this House believes that the Loan Charge is an unjust and retrospective tax; notes that the law on the Loan Charge was not settled until 2017; and calls on HMRC to cease action on loans paid before 2017 The motion is in my name and those of the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Ruth Cadbury) and my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Dr Lewis), and is supported by some 40 other Members of the House I start by commending my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) for having the courage to beat me to the punch in this particular debate. It may seem strange to outside observers that in the midst of a global pandemic and a huge national crisis that we are talking about a tax technicality—at least, that is how it might appear. But actually it is one of the great virtues of our country that no matter what the crisis, whether it is a pandemic or warfare, the House always pays attention to issues of natural justice. We never ignore issues of natural justice, even in times of crisis. As a matter of justice, which this is, it is not a party political issue. In politics and our business, justice is a matter of honour that we deliver to the British people, and that is what we intend to do today The loan charge is an injustice with very large consequences. We have all met and listened to constituents who are facing utter financial ruin as a result of this policy. It is ruining people’s lives. There have been at least seven suicides caused by the stress, anxiety and financial hardship of this policy. To give the House a flavour of that—because it does not apply just to those who have committed suicide but to those who are under stress—here is what the family of one loan charge victim told the all-party group about his suicide note: "He wrote about being at the end of his tether with the Loan Charge matter. He wrote such awful things about himself things that just weren’t true, that he clearly thought about himself at the time. He wrote that he did not set out to do such wrongdoings; he wrote about being unable to speak to his GP about his anxiety as he was ashamed, his fear of going to prison, his disgust in himself for getting mixed up in the Loan Charge and his belief that he would now go to hell." In the case of this individual, the loan charge policy took not just his money, but his self-respect and eventually his life. And there could be more. According to the loan charge all-party group, 39% of those affected have had suicidal thoughts. I think the Minister will be hard pushed to think of another Government policy that has caused more than a third of those affected to consider suicide. It is no surprise that it is having that effect on people. Some 68% have suffered depression, 71% face bankruptcy, and 49% could lose their homes. I said in the previous debate on this issue that the power to tax has the power to destroy, and that has never been more clearly demonstrated than here.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): My constituents just do not have any extra money—they have used it all up each year. After 2010, they were continually told by financial experts and the companies they were contracted to, "All is well—carry on." Suddenly in 2017, they faced a massive bill, and they just cannot cope.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Other
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. I started by saying that this is not a political issue; it is an issue of honour. As we would expect from our House—one of the greatest Parliaments in the world, if not the greatest—all sides take part in defending that honour.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): If the hon. Lady will forgive me, I am trying to constrain my speech to 15 minutes, and it is beginning to be a struggle with so many interventions In summary, these people are now suffering because of a history of poorly drafted regulation and legislation and poor management by HMRC, targeted on the wrong people On many occasions, the Minister and his predecessor have told me and the House that the loan charge is not retrospective. In his report, Sir Amyas Morse states: "The Loan Charge can look back 20 years…This design has been described by HMT as ‘retroactive’." The report describes the loan charge throughout as backward looking. HMRC denies that it is retrospective; it says it is retroactive. If I may say so, that is a distinction without a difference. When I looked up "retrospective" in a thesaurus, guess what it said? It defined the word as "retroactive or backward looking".
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Other
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. Thirteen other hon. Members—in fact, more than that—want to get in, so I plead for short contributions of the length that we have just heard from Christian Matheson, otherwise we will simply not do justice to the next debate. I call Julian Lewis.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): When the right hon. Gentleman took evidence from people who are subject to the loan charge, did he receive any evidence to the effect that their chartered accountants or financial analysts since 2010 had told them—the people they were being paid by—that they were in real danger and had better change the way in which they paid their taxes?
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Anthony James Holland Mangnall (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a gross understatement of HMRC’s lack of compassion. If we are to move forward, HMRC must give individuals who have suffered as a result of the loan charge situation certainty that there will be finality in the way the issue is dealt with.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Mixed Topics
Richard Quentin Fuller (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend puts his finger on one of the core points. Who is running the show here? Is it HMRC, or are the Government making sure that law on this matter is paramount? Does he not find it ironic that HMRC’s annual report this year says that HMRC wants a system that can "be trusted and seen to be fair, with the right safeguards in place to protect customers" Does this case not show that it is falling woefully short of meeting that ambition?
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): It might be dangerous to intervene here, but I am quite sure that a lot of these financial analysts and chartered accounts honestly thought they were doing the right thing and everything was legal. They acted in good faith. I do not suppose that all of them were slightly dodgy.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Julian Murray Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): If it were so clear and the schemes were so contrived, why did HMRC not point that out to people at an early stage, so that they would have seen what they were letting themselves become vulnerable to?
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Other
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for the question. All he needs to do is attend to the detail of the Morse report, in which Sir Amyas Morse goes through the efforts made at that time, before and after 2010, in some detail. That is the basis for the judgment that he reaches about the appropriate relief.
Loan Charge 2019: Sir Amyas Morse Review — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No, I will not. I only have seconds There is only one answer in this debate. I am afraid that Amyas Morse is wrong. The answer is laid out in our motion. HMRC should cease action on all cases before July 2017, and then justice will be done Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House believes that the Loan Charge is an unjust and retrospective tax; notes that the law on the Loan Charge was not settled until 2017; and calls on HMRC to cease action on loans paid before 2017.
Horizon Settlement: Future Governance of Post Office Ltd — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Duncan Charles Baker (Conservative, Centre-right): It has also come to light that the people who were fixing the system from behind the scenes, as the right hon. Gentleman mentioned, and who could go in and balance the tills as it were, were incentivised and paid to be speedy and quickly fix the issues, which made a lot of these cases even worse, so that balances that were already poor got even worse.
Horizon Settlement: Future Governance of Post Office Ltd — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Other
Lucy Allan (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on his excellent speech and his stoical determination in trying to get to the bottom of this. Is he also aware that the head of Fujitsu UK is now working in the Cabinet Office?
Horizon Settlement: Future Governance of Post Office Ltd — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. It will be obvious that we have just over an hour left for this debate, which is not long. I hope that we can manage without a time limit, and we will if everyone takes about five to six minutes. That does not mean seven to eight minutes.
Gambling Advertising in Sport — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Member for Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) for her tireless work in advocating for those who have suffered, or are at risk of suffering, gambling harms. I have no wish to make party political points on this issue, because I believe there is a wish on both sides of the Chamber for further action I would like to address the concerns that have been raised about gambling advertising and sponsorship of sport. The Gambling Act 2005 does indeed permit licensed operators to advertise in a socially responsible manner. Gambling is a permitted activity and a competitive market in this country, so it follows that businesses in the sector are able to market their product. The ability to advertise is a key advantage that licensed operators have over the black market. If we removed that advantage, we would undermine our ability to ensure that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way, that it remains crime-free, and that children and vulnerable people are protected.
Gambling Advertising in Sport — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Member for his comments. He may be tempting me to pre-empt the conclusions of the gambling review that we will be conducting, and I will say more about it later. However, that review will be forthcoming—it was in the manifesto—and we will all have plenty of opportunity to look further into these issues. I cannot say too much more on the specifics at the moment, but I understand the point he is making It is true that operators are spending far more on advertising. Research has indicated that operators have increased their spend on advertising and marketing significantly in recent years. It would be easy to assume that that has led to increased rates of gambling or of problem gambling, but, according to the Gambling Commission, the percentage of those who gambled in the last year was 47%, which was 1% less than the percentage who gambled in 2016, and rates of problem gambling have remained relatively steady, at below 1% for the past 20 years. Before the hon. Member for Swansea East intervenes, as I know she will on that point, let me say that that is too high—that is one thing we agree on. We continue to keep a careful eye on the evidence, but more advertising does not seem to lead to more people gambling or more people suffering from gambling problems However, there are clearly legitimate concerns about problem gambling. I am pleased that the industry has listened to concerns, such as those raised by the hon. Lady, and has acted to some extent: it has extended existing restrictions on pre-watershed advertising to include live sport—the so-called "whistle-to-whistle ban" that she mentioned Protecting children and other vulnerable people from gambling harms is a priority for the Government. Gambling advertising, like alcohol, is already governed by strict rules to ensure that it is not targeted at children and is not of particular appeal to them. Where advertising breaches these rules, the commission can and does take action We know that millions of people gamble each year and that nearly 7% of the population bet on sport last year. Most of those people will suffer no harm, but gambling does carry risks. That is why, as part of the last gambling review that took place between 2016 and 2018, we secured a commitment from industry to fund a multimillion-pound safer gambling advertising campaign to highlight the risks and encourage safer gambling behaviours Of course, advertising is not the whole story; sponsorship is an important source of income for sporting teams and bodies, as the hon. Member for Swansea East mentioned. The Gambling Commission has been clear that operators must undertake their sponsorship activities in a socially responsible way. The FA has strict rules about the size and placement of operator logos and has taken action when those have been breached. Logos cannot feature on shirts worn by youth team players and on merchandising, including shirts in children’s sizes. Paddy Power’s stunt with Huddersfield led to the FA fining the club.
Gambling Advertising in Sport — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady is making a fair point and, as I said, I am sure that all these things will be considered in the gambling review. The remit of the review has not yet been scoped, but she will have strong opinions on it—of that I have no doubt.
Gambling Advertising in Sport — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. One of the great joys of sport is that it can be a family activity, and we want to minimise any dangers that can be the unintended consequences of participating or observing those activities The gambling industry has committed to developing and adopting a new code of conduct for sponsorship activities by the end of 2020. We and the Gambling Commission will be reviewing its efforts closely to ensure that they go far enough. As I have mentioned, we have committed to reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure that it is fit for the digital age. We will announce further details in due course, but I assure the hon. Member for Swansea East that the Government and the Gambling Commission will not put our work to minimise harm on hold while the review takes place. We will always act on the evidence to prevent harm We have already delivered on our manifesto commitment to ban credit card gambling, and we have made it mandatory for operators to be part of GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme.
Gambling Advertising in Sport — House of Commons, 2020-03-19
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady tempts me to pre-empt the scope of the review, but we will listen very carefully to what elements should be considered, and again, she makes an important point. I reiterate that, during the review and in the run-up to the review, we will not stop looking at all elements of gambling harm. Although the review is an important element of the debate, we need to continue the dialogue while it is happening, and I believe I will be coming to the APPG at some point in the not-too-distant future to continue that dialogue At the same time as strengthening protections, we are expanding the safety net for those who get into difficulty. The NHS long-term plan will see up to 14 new specialist gambling clinics across the country, three of which are now open. We are also working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and other Departments on a cross-Government addiction strategy, which will be published later this year. We are, of course, in very difficult times, and I assure all hon. Members that support is, and will continue to be, available for those who need it. The national gambling helpline remains open around the clock I am pleased to see the House’s commitment to the aim of reducing gambling harms, as well as its enthusiasm and advocacy for sport itself. I reassure hon. Members that strong protections are already in place, and the Government will continue to act on the evidence to make gambling safer Question put and agreed to.
Veterans — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Housing
Peter James Guy Aldous (Conservative, Centre-right): I join the Secretary of State and the whole House in those words The Government’s additional funding to eliminate rough sleeping is welcome. I would be grateful if the Secretary of State could outline what is being done to support veterans who find themselves without a roof over their heads.
Veterans — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Housing
Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend asks an important question about many people who have served our country. I welcome the Government’s recent announcement of £112 million of additional funding to tackle rough sleeping. The Ministry of Defence works closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which leads on this issue. As well as the work that takes place across Whitehall, there are broad and deep networks of forces charities, regimental advisers and forces champions in local authority offices to offer support.
Veterans — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government will introduce a national insurance holiday for employers of veterans in their first year of civilian employment. A full digital service will be available to employers from April 2022. However, transitional arrangements will be in place in the 2021-22 tax year that will effectively enable employers of veterans to claim this holiday from April 2021. The holiday will exempt employers from any national insurance contribution liability on the veteran’s salary up to the upper earnings limit.
Service Families — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Immigration
John Luther Mercer (Conservative, Centre-right): The Department is not going to start doing so, because this work started two years ago. This work is to alleviate the stresses, particularly the financial implications, for some of our Commonwealth individuals. I pay tribute to them: they add to our organisation in spades. We need to do more to make sure that they feel we treasure them, as we do. Conversations are ongoing with the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Torbay (Kevin Foster) who is responsible for immigration; I met him again only last week. We are absolutely determined to meet this challenge—whether about the minimum income requirement or about visas—and I will have further details in due course.
Service Families — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Housing
Robert Alexander Courts (Conservative, Centre-right): One great support for armed forces families is the accommodation they live in. In Carterton, we have some REEMA housing that requires renovation and some MOD brownfield sites that need developing, which some Ministers at least have seen. Will the Department work with me to see how we can get this renovation and reworking carried out?
Service Families — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Housing
John Luther Mercer (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. Service housing is a real challenge, especially after taking over an antiquated estate, and the serious challenges in the budgets associated with that over many years. The future accommodation model will provide an answer for some, but the No.1 reason why people leave the military, and an area where retention is difficult, is still the impact of service life on their family. We are determined to tackle that, and I would be more than happy to go and visit with my hon. Friend.
Social Mobility — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Luther Mercer (Conservative, Centre-right): We aim to attract talent from the widest possible base across the UK, regardless of socio-economic background, educational status or ethnicity. The skills, education, training and experience provided enable recruits to progress as far as their aptitude will take them, and benefit from promotion based on merit.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-03-16
Topic: Immigration
Questions: Does the Minister agree that British businesses, such as Martin-Baker aircraft company, based in Denham, are at the heart of our defence industry? Can I tempt him to join me for the opening of our new facility in the coming months?; I am proud to support the Royal British Legion in Blyth and Cramlington, which supports ex-servicemen and women all year round. Will the Minister please inform me what action is being taken to support personnel, and will he assure the House that the Government will do their utmost to deliver mental health support without delay to those who need it?; I welcome the strong commitment from the Minister for Defence People and Veterans to supporting the mental health of personnel and veterans. He is probably aware of the interesting international research on the use of MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Will he meet me and others to discuss how we can make it easier to carry out that research in the UK?; I very much welcome the Ministry of Defence submarine sonar contract being awarded to Crawley-based Thales. Can my hon. Friend say a little more about the employment possibilities that the contract brings?; What assessment has the Secretary of State made of the impact of Covid-19 on plans to commemorate Victory over Japan Day in August with surviving veterans, and in association with the Royal British Legion and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission?; David Brown Santasalo engineering in my constituency has been manufacturing engineering parts for the Ministry of Defence for many years, including propulsion gears for our Dreadnought submarines and our Type 26 frigates. It has shown a real commitment to quality apprenticeships. Will the ministerial team continue to show such commitment to great companies like it in the MOD supply chain? In fact, will the Minister visit David Brown Santasalo, and see at first hand its excellence in engineering?
John Luther Mercer (Conservative, Centre-right): Last week I met the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Torbay (Kevin Foster), who is the immigration Minister, and I am absolutely determined to make sure that there are specialist teams—for example, there was an NHS cell in the Home Office that dealt with UK Visas and Immigration, and I am looking at measures to try to replicate that. We have made it clear that if those who have served their nation are entitled to remain we will facilitate that process.