argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Effective and Accountable Justice — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James MacGillivray Neill (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Attorney General back to her place. I am sure she will agree that it is also right to pay particular tribute to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Northampton North (Michael Ellis) for the way in which he discharged his duties as the Attorney General to the very high standards and with the impartiality of that office—it could not have been done better Does the Attorney General agree that for an effective system it is important that we have not only a fully joined-up plan but effective funding for all parts of the justice system? What steps is she taking to ensure a joint approach to getting the best possible outcome for the Law Officers’ Department, the CPS and the Ministry of Justice in the coming spending review?
Effective and Accountable Justice — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to highlight the need for resources as we rebuild after the pandemic. We need to ensure that the court backlog, which we all accept exists, is dealt with. That is why we have been working across Government, with the sector and with local bodies to ensure that comprehensive support is available for victims and witnesses. After all, it is victims for whom we are here and for whom we need to fight.
Effective and Accountable Justice — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): As I say, we accept that there is a court backlog, and it is a priority for this Government as we build back from the pandemic. The CPS has implemented a number of changes, with cross-system partners, to assist the criminal justice system in its response to covid. I was pleased that the independent inspectorate praised the CPS response to the pandemic. The CPS has recently introduced specific measures to accelerate its management of cases in the context of the pandemic The Chancellor has been clear that there will need to be tough choices as we come out of the pandemic. The public expect us to deliver the highest-quality services at the best value, ensuring that every pound is well spent. The CPS has received funding uplifts in the past three spending rounds, including £85 million to allow it to recruit more than 350 new prosecutors to boost capacity and support court recovery.
Effective and Accountable Justice — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): The assertion that there has been a decriminalisation of rape is simply not backed up by the facts and is a very damaging narrative to proffer. It is very important that we recognise that, yes, there have been delays in the system, and I recognise how distressing those delays are. I want to reassure the hon. Lady that progress is being made to boost court capacity and to enable cases to continue to flow through the system. That includes harnessing technology, such as the cloud video platform, making use of the Nightingale courts and exploring the use of extended operating hours in court. The special measure allowing vulnerable victims, including rape victims and those who are witnesses in those cases, to pre-record their cross-examination evidence to reduce waiting times, which is under section 28, has been rapidly rolled out to cover all 82 Crown courts as of 23 November last year, and the CPS was a key partner in ensuring that that roll-out went smoothly.
Effective and Accountable Justice — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): There has been a real focus on dealing with the backlog and ensuring a better flow of cases right from reporting at the police station through to conviction. That was most pertinently highlighted in the recent rape review published by this Government with a particular focus on those victims. There have been a huge number of changes implemented by the CPS with cross-system partners to assist the criminal justice response to covid. As I have mentioned, it includes the interim charging protocol, which is designed to be clear that the high-harm crimes and covid-related crimes, such as spitting and assaults on essential workers, are prioritised. That will be and has been an effective step forward in dealing with the backlog.
Understanding of the Law — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Education
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): It is vital that children of all ages learn about our famous legal system. My office works very closely with the Department for Education to ensure that the curriculum covers a full range of important legal concepts, including fundamental rights and criminal law. My office also works very closely with members of the pro bono and public legal education committees, who run programmes to engage and educate young people about the law outside the curriculum.
Understanding of the Law — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Antony Higginbotham (Conservative, Centre-right): Our legal system is the cornerstone of our society, so does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that we need to work with not just with schools but voluntary organisations to make sure that young people understand not just the law and our legal process, but Parliament’s role in forming the law?
Covid-19: Criminal Justice System — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): I frequently meet criminal justice partners to discuss the important issue of criminal justice capacity since the covid-19 restrictions have been eased. The covid outbreak has been felt keenly by the criminal justice system. I have been proud of the resilience that the criminal justice agencies have demonstrated. There is still more to do, but both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office have been commended for their efforts during this difficult time, and I thank them for continuing to support the delivery of justice.
Covid-19: Criminal Justice System — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Selaine Rachel Saxby (Conservative, Centre-right): I support the Government’s efforts to address the recovery, and pay tribute to all those working hard across the country to make this happen, but can my right hon. and learned Friend tell me how victims are being supported so that they do not drop out of the criminal justice process due to the time lag?
Covid-19: Criminal Justice System — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): I regularly meet the Director of Public Prosecutions and CPS teams around the country. I was pleased to meet CPS South West last year to learn more about its case progression and response to the pandemic. In February this year, the Government announced an additional £40 million to support victims of crime during the pandemic and beyond. Throughout this period, almost £600,000 of funding has been made available to assist helpline services, and £3 million per annum until 2022 has been committed to independent sexual violence advisers. That is a reflection of the comprehensive package of support put forward by this Government to help to build back better after the pandemic.
Refugee Rights: International Law — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What recent assessment she has made of the compatibility of the Government’s proposals on asylum with (a) the UN’s convention on the status of refugees and (b) the rule of law.
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are committed to addressing the unacceptable rise in dangerous and unnecessary small boat crossings, and are continuing to explore all options available to bring the numbers down. Our primary focus is on preventing people from entering the channel, tackling the criminal gangs responsible and protecting lives. As part of the Home Office’s ongoing operational response, it will continue to evaluate and test a range of safe and legal options for stopping small boats.
Unduly Lenient Sentences — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): In 2020 my office received, and as the Law Officers we reviewed, 552 referrals under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. Ninety-seven of those were referred to the Court of Appeal and 61 sentences were increased. In February, I was proud to present in the Court of Appeal a case in which the victim was raped while in a relationship, and I was successful in increasing the defendant’s sentence. It is important that victims report these crimes and that justice is seen to be done.
Unduly Lenient Sentences — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Jacob Young (Conservative, Centre-right): Last month Cleveland police’s former head of corporate communications, Mr Green, pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children. The district judge gave Mr Green a sentence that involved no jail time and a community order lasting just 24 months. That strikes me as an unduly lenient sentence in any case, but given the position of trust he held in his senior role in Cleveland police, I believe that the case must be reviewed. Will the Attorney General review Mr Green’s sentence and ensure that justice is heard for the victims of his crime?
Unduly Lenient Sentences — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Sue-Ellen Cassiana Braverman (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for his tireless work on behalf of those who have been affected by cases of this nature. This case was brought to my attention by Steve Turner, the Cleveland police and crime commissioner. As my hon. Friend will be aware, I can only review sentences that fall within the unduly lenient sentence scheme, and as this case was heard at the magistrates court it is ineligible.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend said yesterday that this partnership has "the aim of working hand in glove to preserve security and stability in the Indo-Pacific." What are the implications of this pact for the stance and response the United Kingdom would take should China attempt to invade Taiwan?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The United Kingdom remains determined to defend international law, and that is the strong advice we would give to our friends across the world and the strong advice we would give to the Government in Beijing.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): What I can tell the House is that, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, the carrier strike group is now in that region, and it has been doing exercises with a total of 40 other countries—friends and partners around the world—from India right the way through to Japan. I am not going to give much more detail now about FCAS, for reasons that I am sure the House will appreciate, but the UK will be developing friendships and partnerships throughout that region, for the very good political, security and economic reasons that I have given the House.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
John Charles Baron (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement. One of the reasons that some of us have opposed our foreign interventions since 2003 is that we felt they acted as a distraction from many greater dangers around the world, including in Indochina, so this agreement is very welcome. Will the Prime Minister confirm, though, the extent to which jobs and skills in this country will be reinforced, if not enhanced? For example, are the 12 submarines that are presently within the French contract going to be re-bid for?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Environment
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I can tell the hon. Lady that the President-designate of COP, my right hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma), was in Beijing recently and had very productive conversations with his Chinese counterparts. We are hopeful that China will be able to go even further than its current commitment to get to net zero by 2060. We are hoping that we will see a very productive commitment from China.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Technology
Ruth Rosamond Edwards (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the news of this partnership. Will the Prime Minister look at using it to drive forward closer working with our allies towards a more secure and resilient supply chain for digital technology so that we can be less reliant on countries such as China, which the Government have quite rightly identified as a competitor in this space?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, it certainly is. That is why I think the UK can be very proud of the massive commitments that we make—£10 billion this year alone in official development assistance spending. The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that this enhanced defence agreement between the UK, Australia and the US is founded on shared values.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Foreign Trade
Mark Peter Fletcher (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Prime Minister agree that this new partnership with Australia, which builds on the recently announced trade deal that will boost jobs and businesses across the country, including the east midlands, shows the huge opportunities available to global Britain as we look beyond our friends and allies in Europe to become a truly global power on the world stage?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The Five Eyes partnership is also of huge importance. We share intelligence on a very, very free basis with our Five Eyes friends, but cyber, AI and so on will now be progressed within the AUKUS context as well.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Andrew Griffith (Conservative, Centre-right): Will the Prime Minister accept the thanks of the House for deepening collaboration with some of our oldest allies and putting flesh on the bones of global Britain? In that vein, will he join me in welcoming to London Mohamed bin Zayed to not only deepen further links, but unleash economic benefits as well as tackling issues such as defence, climate change and regional instability?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes. I will indeed be seeing Mohamed bin Zayed very shortly—in fact, just after I leave the House today. I think I am right in saying—my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will correct me—that our relationship with the Gulf States is our single fastest growing market.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Christopher Mark Clarkson (Conservative, Centre-right): In welcoming AUKUS, which is a fantastic opportunity for new jobs and development to come to the north-west of England, does my right hon. Friend agree that it also dovetails nicely with our ambitions towards the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership, and shows our intent towards a stronger presence in our tilt towards the Indo-Pacific?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes. The whole Indo-Pacific tilt, of which this is a part, is a recognition of the fact that the CPTPP area my hon. Friend talks about is a £9 trillion trade area in which the UK has an increasing diplomatic and commercial presence.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Labor
Gary William Sambrook (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Prime Minister agree that this new partnership is an absolutely golden opportunity for jobs across the country, including at home in the midlands? It not only gives people the opportunity to defend our shared interests and values across the world, but the opportunity of a high-skilled job and the security of a pay packet.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Labor
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, that is exactly right, and I thank my hon. Friend. The UK leads the world in some of these technologies. The factories, plants, ports and docks that make this stuff are distributed across the United Kingdom. There are opportunities for high-wage, high-skilled jobs that will last a generation and more.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I think it is very important that we continue to engage with our Chinese partners, but to engage very firmly on the points that we care about, whether it is human rights in Hong Kong, democracy in Hong Kong or the treatment of the Uyghurs. The UK, as the hon. Lady knows, has imposed sanctions on those who exploit forced labour in Xinjiang and taken many other steps besides.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Energy
Alun Craig Williams (Conservative, Centre-right): For 60 years, we have been manufacturing nuclear submarines and we are a world leader. I can confirm that this is a great Union story, with the supply chain even finding its way to the landlocked Montgomeryshire in the middle of Wales. May I ask the Prime Minister to confirm that, while, of course, the security and the safety of the world is foremost, this will be great for jobs across the United Kingdom?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Labor
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I can certainly assure my hon. Friend that this will be great for jobs across the United Kingdom, but as I said, there is an 18-month scoping programme to work out exactly how the labour is going to be divvied up.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Daniel Double (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement. It is right, in an ever-changing geopolitical landscape, that we review and, where possible, strengthen our links with like-minded countries around the world. Will he confirm that this new partnership will help us to continue to protect the rules-based international system in the region? I am thinking particularly of Hong Kong.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): What this does is allow the three countries that share very close perspectives on human rights, the rule of law, free trade and international shipping to come together and, above all, to uphold our belief in democracy. We do not wish to be adversarial towards any other global power, but we wish to underscore that we work together to uphold those values, whether in our military co-operation or in technological transfer.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Labor
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I think most commonsensical people will welcome the arrival of jobs across the whole of the United Kingdom, particularly in Scotland. By the way, the Type 26 frigate programme, which I have seen being built in Govan, is worth £19.5 billion to this country and, like the nuclear submarine programme, will generate jobs for decades and decades to come. It is a great thing for the whole of the UK.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. Of course, Hastings and Rye was the last place in which this island suffered a reversal at the hands of the French, but our relations with the French remain very good. My hon. Friend is certainly right about the benefits that this will bring throughout the UK, including, I hope, Hastings and Rye.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Energy
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): This is not zero-sum. I have spoken to the House already about the depth of our co-operation with the French—which has a nuclear dimension as well—whether it is in Estonia or in Mali. One of the potential winners from this technological partnership is the French company Talis, which of course has many people working in this country.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Antony Higginbotham (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the agreement, which shows the depth of our relationship with one of our oldest and closest allies, but can the Prime Minister confirm that it allows us to expand it into even more areas for the protection of our people and those of our allies?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes. I wish to repeat that this makes visible and incarnates the Indo-Pacific tilt that we have been talking about. It is an incredibly important development for our relations in the Indo-Pacific. However, it in no way detracts from our commitment to the north Atlantic area, to the European theatre and to our overall security.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Robert John Blackman (Conservative, Centre-right): I note that our friends from New Zealand have already announced that the new submarines will be banned from their waters, but can I press my right hon. Friend on the opportunities to expand co-operation with India, which is a key strategic partner in the region?
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I should stress to the House that what New Zealand has said is its historic position; it has been in that place for 30 years or more. What my hon. Friend says about India is absolutely right. Again, there is a great deal of community of interest and values, and we should pursue that.
AUKUS — House of Commons, 2021-09-16
Topic: Labor
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): There will be jobs and growth across the whole of the UK as a result of this partnership, but above all as a result of the policies that this Government have been pursuing, which are leading to higher wages and higher skills—a policy that I am afraid the Labour party continually opposes.