argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
James Richard Frith (Labour, Centre-left): A Government who abolished maintenance grants for our poorest students commission a review that concludes that we need maintenance grants for our poorest students. That same Government welcome the idea, led by a Prime Minister in her end of days as PM before it is all change for this Cabinet, so how will the Secretary of State make amends for this mess in time and see grants brought back and the best of Augar brought in? This is a ghost ship Government—if it ain’t Brexit, don’t fix it. They do not have a hope for themselves. How can they possibly be the hope for higher education colleges and our students?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Roberta Carol Blackman-Woods (Labour, Centre-left): It is good, I am sure, that we have agreement across the Chamber that more money should go into lifelong learning and further education, but we want to hear a guarantee from the Minister that those resources will not come from higher education. We also want a guarantee that if tuition fees are reduced, any shortfall of money going to universities will be made up by teaching grant from the Government not just for science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, but for arts and humanities subjects, because they are also very important for our economy. If these proposals will eventually see their way into legislation—it is not clear to any of us how that would happen—is the Minister going to consult the sector widely so that he does not destabilise it further? We need those guarantees so that universities have certainty if they are to compete globally.
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Wesley Paul William Streeting (Labour, Centre-left): Like others, I warmly welcome the thrust of the Augar report, which is that we desperately need more funding for further and lifelong learning, not least because, as the report states, adult education under this Government has been slashed by a whopping 45%. We have not heard the Secretary of State give a commitment yet on robbing Peter to pay Paul. Whether he likes it or not, the idea that the Treasury will make up the shortfall from a cut in tuition fees is as credible as the claim that austerity is over. In reality is he not proposing the worst of all worlds for universities and students—graduates paying more for longer for degrees that are worse funded?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Barry John Sheerman (Labour, Centre-left): As I learned from the 10 years I chaired the Select Committee, we make most progress in higher education when we find a cross-party consensus, as anyone who looks at the Robbins report or subsequent reports, such as the Dearing report, will know. There is some good stuff in this report. Some of the people on it were special advisers to my Committee when I was Chair. We have to build a consensus. There are good things in the report and some things I really would not like. Our universities and colleges are the most important institutions for most towns and cities in the country, and we endanger their existence at our peril, so let us build a cross-party consensus. I love the part about a new fund for lifelong learning. Tony Blair introduced one in 1997. It failed, but everybody knew we should bring it back to secure the future of further and higher education. So I say well done in part, but if the Secretary of State could keep a higher education Minister for more than a few months we would do a lot better.
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Karin Marguerite Smyth (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State has given us warm words about further education colleges, describing them as "vital engines of both social mobility and economic prosperity." That does not match what we have seen in the report. It highlights the scandalous drop in study at levels 2 and 3 in recent years, which the panel believed was due to funding changes. Will the Government support calls for the restoration of funding at those levels, to remove the barrier to social mobility and help young people and adult learners to improve productivity?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Christopher Paul Farrelly (Labour, Centre-left): Most fair-minded Members will regret the tripling of tuition fees and what has happened to student support since 2010. We fought a huge battle over higher education here after I became a Member of Parliament in 2001, and it has been dreadful to see how the system crafted back then has been so comprehensively dismantled. It is now living costs that are often so crippling for students and their families. As a matter of priority, may I ask the Secretary of State what the review’s recommendations will do for families whose incomes are above the limit for all but the basic maintenance loan, and who are by no means wealthy but have two or three children who aspire to go to university?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Stephanie Louise Peacock (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State has given us warm words about technical education, but does he accept that the reality is frequently a postcode lottery in which towns such Barnsley have too often lost out? When I met representatives of Barnsley College recently, they told me that many of the first-wave T-levels were simply unavailable. What will change for people in Barnsley as a consequence of the review if there is no funding to follow?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Peter John Kyle (Labour, Centre-left): As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on further education and lifelong learning, I can welcome and celebrate many parts of the report. However, as someone who went to the University of Sussex as a mature student, experienced for the first time in my life an institution that saw potential in me, and worked hard to fulfil that potential—whether it has been successful or not is up for debate—I am worried about the possibility that we will enter a world in which further and higher education will be pitted against each other in a zero-sum competition. Can the Secretary of State reassure the House that whatever the recommendations are, he will never allow that to happen?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Paul Christopher Blomfield (Labour, Centre-left): I wonder if I can give the Secretary of State the opportunity to answer a question he has sidestepped so far. He said in his opening remarks: "The panel’s recommendations on student finance are detailed and interrelated, and cannot be considered each in isolation." If the Government accept the recommendation to reduce the fee cap, will the Secretary of State commit to the Augar recommendation to "replace in full the lost fee income by increasing the teaching grant, leaving the average unit of funding unchanged"?
Post-18 Education and Funding — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Education
Daniel Stephen Zeichner (Labour, Centre-left): There is much to welcome in this review, not least the proposals to tackle the neglect of those who do not go to university, but the universities are right to worry about the proposals for differential funding for different courses, which the Secretary of State appeared to speak quite warmly of a few moments ago. Universities are different; they are not all the same—they have different strengths and different roles—and they are best placed to determine how to allocate resources, so can the Secretary of State reassure us that he respects and understands university autonomy?
Political Process in Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: International Affairs
Catharine Letitia Hoey (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State knows the importance that the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, which I am temporarily chairing, attaches to historical institutional abuse inquiry. In response to the unanimous letter that the Committee sent to her, she said, "I do not want this urgent issue to be delayed or stalled as part of the talks process—quite the opposite." Will she give us an absolute assurance that the matter will not get bogged down among all the other issues In addition—I say this carefully—could the Secretary of State possibly take some press questions the next time she makes a statement? It looks bad when she does not answer any questions while the Foreign Secretary of the Republic of Ireland answers questions for half an hour.
Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2019-06-04
Topic: Law and Crime
Luke Pollard (Labour, Centre-left): Will the Minister go into slightly more detail about where the guidance will land on that point? Will the police constable be one of the two people who can accompany an inspector, or will that be in addition to those two people, since there may be very good reasons why certain specialists are required for certain animals?
Leaving the EU: Manufacturing — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
Stephen John Doughty (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State says that he wants to get a deal, yet he is backing a candidate for the Conservative leadership who advocates no deal. With the news from Ford, Airbus, Honda and Nissan, and from so much of the Welsh manufacturing industry and the steel industry, how on earth can he, as Secretary of State, justify that position? Or is he simply trying to keep his job?
Leaving the EU: Manufacturing — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Christina Elizabeth Rees (Labour, Centre-left): Given the almost daily news of business closures in Wales as a result of Brexit uncertainty, and the real prospect of no deal, how can the Secretary of State justify his support for a candidate to be Prime Minister who is prepared to sacrifice thousands of manufacturing jobs in Wales to further his own personal ambition? Does the Secretary of State think it is a "do or die" Brexit?
EU Withdrawal Agreement: Welsh Economy — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on the Welsh economy of the withdrawal agreement on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
Geraint Richard Davies (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State knows that, if we stay within the EU, British people will get a 20% uplift in structural funding to £440 per person. Will he ensure that, in the event of our leaving with a deal, that money is sustained completely with a new UK prosperity fund? If we have a no-deal outcome, there will, quite simply, be no structural funding and we will hit a cliff edge, and more firms like Tata, Airbus and Ford will leave on his watch.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Energy
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Welsh Government on the effect of the industrial strategy on the Welsh economy.; What recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Welsh Government on the effect of the industrial strategy on the Welsh economy.
Elizabeth Anne McInnes (Labour, Centre-left): Will the Minister confirm that by refusing to invest in major opportunities such as the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon, the UK Government are denying the Welsh steel industry a significant opportunity to innovate and create quality jobs that would support a new industry with global growth potential?
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Welsh Government on the effect of the industrial strategy on the Welsh economy.; What recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Welsh Government on the effect of the industrial strategy on the Welsh economy.
Christopher Shaun Ruane (Labour, Centre-left): The design of the shared prosperity fund will be crucial to Wales’s industrial strategy. Communities and business shareholders are clear on what the fund should look like—not a penny less, nor a power lost for Wales. The consultation on the fund was in the 2017 Conservative manifesto, and was mentioned in a written statement in July last year and by the Secretary of State at the Dispatch Box last October. Can the Minister confirm that this consultation has now been withdrawn?
Infrastructure Resilience — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Transportation
Christopher John Bryant (Labour, Centre-left): The Assembly Government have good plans for the Treherbert line, which serves Rhondda Fawr, but people who live in Rhondda Fach and at the top of Rhondda Fawr who need to go over the Rhigos road to get to work, or indeed to the maternity unit at Prince Charles Hospital, need significant investment in the roads. It must surely be unfair that it takes many people in Rhondda, including expectant mothers, four buses to get the hospital, which might mean that a woman would not get there in time to deliver safely and that babies might not live.
Infrastructure Resilience — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Transportation
Questions: Two years ago, there was no broadband at all in the Dysynni valley in Gwynedd, in the constituency of the right hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts). Now, there is fibre going direct to premises, delivering a minimum of 75 megabits per second download. What more can the United King-dom Government do to deliver high-speed broadband to rural Welsh businesses?
Albert Owen (Labour, Centre-left): Ports infrastructure is essential to the economy of Wales and the United Kingdom. Holyhead port is a gateway from the Republic of Ireland. What discussions has the Minister’s Department had with the Irish Government to ensure that there are adequate facilities in place before Brexit, because the Irish Government are planning to detour freight direct to mainland Europe?
Steel Producers — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Energy
Jessica Elizabeth Morden (Labour, Centre-left): Tata’s Cogent Power in my constituency has huge potential to develop electrical steel in the automotive industry and electrification, but it needs Government support to help to develop the supply chain, which I wrote to the Secretary of State about recently. Will he come and see for himself by visiting the Orb plant?
Ford in Bridgend: Welsh Economy — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Karin Marguerite Smyth (Labour, Centre-left): No wonder the Secretary of State does not want to answer the question, because the Government are being totally complacent. I have no doubt that the closure of the Ford plant in Bridgend will have huge consequences along the M4 corridor, damaging our economy, including in Bristol South. Just when will we see the start of any kind of industrial strategy? Right now, with continued closures and the impact of this closure on the supply chain, we are going backward, not forward, and that damages the economy in Bristol South.
Former Phurnacite Works, Abercwmboi — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Environment
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of redeveloping the former Phurnacite works in Abercwmboi; and if he will make a statement.
Ann Clwyd (Labour, Centre-left): I thank the Secretary of State for coming to the area and knocking heads together in a way that we have waited for for 30 years. The people of Abercwmboi have lived in dirt and dust on the site of what was the worst industrial polluter in the whole of Britain. I am grateful for the interest he has taken and the way he has managed to knock heads together.
Mid-Wales Growth Deal — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: Given that a western rail link to Heathrow would connect south Wales stations such as Swansea, Cardiff and Newport directly to Heathrow, cutting up to half an hour off journey times, and mean London and south Wales would be better connected, benefiting businesses, tourists and the Welsh economy—
Christopher Philip James Elmore (Labour, Centre-left): The reality, with the potential closure, is 1,700 jobs gone at Ford and between 6,000 and 7,000 in the supply chain. It is no good the Secretary of State saying manufacturing is buoyant, with all these potential job losses coming. We need economic stimulus packages from the UK Government in support of the Welsh Government. What is the Minister going to do about it to protect these jobs?
Assembly Members: Diplomatic Support — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Ian Colin Lucas (Labour, Centre-left): I received excellent support from the diplomatic service abroad when I was the shadow Middle East Minister. May I commend the diplomatic service for working closely with all elected Members of Parliament, the Assemblies and the Scottish Parliament to preserve the integrity and strength of the United Kingdom?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Environment
Thangam Elizabeth Rachel Debbonaire (Labour, Centre-left): As the thousands of people demonstrating outside would tell the Prime Minister, tackling climate change and biodiversity makes the world safer, more beautiful and sustainable for our children and grandchildren. Does she agree that one of the first acts of the next Prime Minister should be —urgently—to introduce a new environment and climate change Bill putting into place all the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change to meet net carbon zero, making the world a more beautiful place?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: Environment
Questions: One of the biggest restraints on what is a very positive economy in York and North Yorkshire is the lack of progress on devolution. Following the rejection of the One Yorkshire proposal, does the Prime Minister agree that we need a more local approach, such as a York and North Yorkshire deal to rival those of the big urban centres?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): I hope the whole House will welcome today’s mass climate lobby, which is coming to Parliament today. We should be proud of it. This House, after all, became the first Parliament in the world to declare a climate emergency. I want to pay tribute to the young people and young climate strikers who have done so much to raise awareness of this issue. I hope Members will take the chance today to meet those who are coming to lobby and learn from them, because they feel very passionately on the issue I acknowledge that it is Armed Forces Day—celebrations are going on this week—and I think we should be concerned about the welfare of both serving and former serving members of our armed forces. I join the Prime Minister in congratulating the Lionesses on reaching the quarter finals of the women’s World cup and wish them well tomorrow night against Norway. I welcome the judgment of the Court of Appeal last Thursday against UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The Court found that the Government had "made no concluded assessments of whether the Saudi-led coalition had committed violations of international humanitarian law… during the Yemen conflict, and made no attempt to do so" Does the Prime Minister dispute that finding?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: One of the biggest restraints on what is a very positive economy in York and North Yorkshire is the lack of progress on devolution. Following the rejection of the One Yorkshire proposal, does the Prime Minister agree that we need a more local approach, such as a York and North Yorkshire deal to rival those of the big urban centres?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): Germany, as an EU member state, has banned arms exports to Saudi Arabia, so has Denmark, and both the US Senate and House of Representatives have voted to ban arms exports as well The UN describes the situation in Yemen as "humanity’s biggest preventable disaster", but the Government see fit to continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia during that situation, so may I ask the Prime Minister a very simple question? Does she believe there are serious ongoing violations of international humanitarian law by Saudi Arabia in Yemen—yes or no?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: One of the biggest restraints on what is a very positive economy in York and North Yorkshire is the lack of progress on devolution. Following the rejection of the One Yorkshire proposal, does the Prime Minister agree that we need a more local approach, such as a York and North Yorkshire deal to rival those of the big urban centres?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): The Prime Minister does not appear to understand the depth of feeling at the UN, Parliaments around the world or even the US Senate and the House on this situation. The UN itself has warned that by the end of 2019, if the war continues, 230,000 people will have lost their lives, of whom 140,000 are children under the age of five. The UK and EU law state that the Government must "not grant a licence if there is a clear risk that the items used might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law." The Government said they had used the following criteria to judge "an understanding of Saudi military procedures; continuing engagement with the Saudis at the highest level" and "Saudi public commitments to IHL".—[Official Report, 20 June 2019; Vol. 662, c. 375-6.] If the Saudi Government say they are respecting human rights, do we then ignore all evidence on the ground in Yemen and continue to sell weapons to the regime, which has led to this appalling death toll already in this conflict?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: One of the biggest restraints on what is a very positive economy in York and North Yorkshire is the lack of progress on devolution. Following the rejection of the One Yorkshire proposal, does the Prime Minister agree that we need a more local approach, such as a York and North Yorkshire deal to rival those of the big urban centres?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): If that is the case, why are the Government appealing the judgment instead of promoting a peace settlement in Yemen? Since 2016, for three years, UN experts have been saying that the Saudi coalition has violated international humanitarian law in Yemen. This air campaign has killed tens of thousands of people, and injured and displaced many more. The Government say: "there can be no military solution to this particular conflict. There can only be a negotiated and political solution."—[Official Report, 20 June 2019; Vol. 662, c. 380.] If that is the case, why have they already pumped £4.6 billion of military equipment into this brutal bombardment?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2019-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: One of the biggest restraints on what is a very positive economy in York and North Yorkshire is the lack of progress on devolution. Following the rejection of the One Yorkshire proposal, does the Prime Minister agree that we need a more local approach, such as a York and North Yorkshire deal to rival those of the big urban centres?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): The Trade Secretary said there could not be a military solution to this conflict. Surely the Government should think on this and stop the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia. Just last week, the UN special rapporteur, Agnes Kalamar, said that there is credible evidence that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other high-level officials are personally responsible for the horrific murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Does the Prime Minister accept that assessment?