argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-10-22
Topic: Mixed Topics
Mark Julian Francis Pawsey (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution. I think we are in agreement—we want that to happen. The legal advice that a substantial UK corporation received was that that was necessary, and he and I will need to look again at the contribution of my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Laura Farris), which sets out an alternative way of dealing with such issues. From the Centrica evidence I also got the need to modernise terms and conditions. This long-established organisation had gone through many iterations. It employed a number of businesses, there were 7,000 variations in its terms and conditions, and it needed to bring those together. I think the matter is now resolved, with 98% of engineers at Centrica having signed a new contract by May 2021. We all understand the need to add to existing protections, and my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury has set out a clear alternative for the way forward. She spoke authoritatively about the dangers of unintended consequences from the Bill, and for those reasons I shall be later joining my colleagues in the Lobby to oppose it.
Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-10-22
Topic: Public Lands
Alexander Paul Thomas Stafford (Conservative, Centre-right): Can we make it fully clear that Government Members, regardless of what is going on, are against the abuse of fire and rehire? I stand against it for the residents of Rother Valley and I am sure that the Minister does. Will he clarify that once and for all and make it clear for everyone listening at home?
Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-10-22
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has hit the nail on the head. What we have on this side of the House is the expertise that we are bringing to bear to try and solve the problem, rather than just throwing things around. Earlier, someone accused the hon. Member for Newbury of over-egging the cake; in one of the other Front-Bench speeches, we heard, basically, no cake but a lot of egg. We cannot take a Poundland Arthur Scargill approach to this; we have to get it right. I hope that Pepco, the owner of Poundland, will forgive me, as the retail Minister, for dragging down its reputation.
Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-10-22
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. The hon. Ladies who are heckling me from the Labour Benches are quite right. The hon. Gentleman should not be making a speech. He is making an intervention. He can make two or three interventions, but he cannot make one long speech.
Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-10-22
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order, which is a perfectly reasonable one and one that had crossed my mind. However, I have come to the conclusion that, with everyone in the Chamber having been sitting here since 9.30 am, the Tea Room is probably full to overflowing at present. I am therefore not inclined to consider a second closure motion, having taken the will of the House less than an hour ago. That does not create a precedent for not doing so, but I am giving the hon. Gentleman a straight answer to his straight question.
Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-10-22
Topic: Other
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you for that clarification, Madam Deputy Speaker. Indeed, I think Members from both sides of the House are taking advantage of the Tea Room, because both sides are lighter in numbers at the moment, but I always bow to your perspicacity. I would have thought that, in the last 20 minutes or so of the debate, Members pushing the Bill would want to hear the Government’s response to the merits or otherwise of the Bill, and what we are trying to do about the issue.
Local Electricity Generation — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Other
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes a pointed and unfair observation at the end of his remarks, which I think is beneath his dignity. I know that he is referring to "Britannia Unchained", a classic work published 10 years ago, but 10 years is a very long time and I do not want to revisit those battles. I will say what I have said to him before: this is an issue for Ofgem and we are discussing how to seek to make progress on that important subject.
Levelling-up Agenda — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Thomas Patrick Hunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My constituents are very proud of the north of England and the midlands, even though we are in East Anglia, but they want a firm commitment from the Government—it cannot be stressed enough—that the levelling-up agenda also covers Ipswich. Of course, we have the £25 million from the town deal, which goes some way to assuaging these concerns. However, does my right hon. Friend agree that the skills improvement plan pilot bid from Norfolk and Suffolk could be a fantastic example to prove to the people of Ipswich that we are in fact at the heart of the levelling-up agenda? Will he engage in discussions with the Department for Education about the possibility of that pilot scheme, which would also feed the new freeport east in Felixstowe, which already employs 6,000 of my constituents but could employ many more?
Fire and Rehire: ACAS Report — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Public Lands
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): The Department engaged with ACAS to hold discussions in order to generate evidence about the use of fire and rehire. ACAS officials have shared their findings with BEIS officials. It is right and proper that we give this evidence full consideration, and we will communicate our next steps in due course.
Covid-19: Business Support — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Amanda Jane Solloway (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have provided unprecedented support to business sectors throughout the pandemic, including the hospitality and retail sectors. In addition to the job retention scheme and cuts to business rates and VAT, we have provided one-off restart grants of up to £18,000, which are available to businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure and personal sectors to support them to reopen as restrictions are relaxed. To date, businesses in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill have benefited from more than 1,500 loans and £59 million, with 70,800 jobs supported through furlough.
Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): With regard to TRID, the hon. Lady will know that the consultation on that closes tomorrow. I would urge all interested parties to feed into that consultation so that we can reach a good decision. She knows that I am on record as having committed to a strategic presence of steel in the UK . I think that is vital and as Secretary of State I will always promote it within Government.
Environmentally Sustainable Transportation — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Anne-Marie Belinda Trevelyan (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are striving to decarbonise transport by phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and from 2035 all new cars and vans must be zero emissions at the tailpipe. The plug-in van grant will support businesses to reach net zero by reducing the purchase price of new zero emission vans up to £3,000 for small vans and up to £6,000 for large vans. The plug-in truck grant also provides up to £25,000 of funding for the largest HGVs.
Environmentally Sustainable Transportation — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Anne-Marie Belinda Trevelyan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind words. We are working to ensure that the transport decarbonisation plan is as ambitious as possible, and we plan to publish in the very near future. It will set out how we incentivise operators and industry to transition to zero emission HGVs and manage emissions from the existing fleet. We are also investing £20 million this year in planning for zero emission road freight trials, which will support UK industry to develop cost-effective, zero emission HGVs and their refuelling infrastructure in the UK.
Entrepreneurship — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): Our start-up loans programme has a phenomenal track record of backing budding entrepreneurs. We have supported more than 83,000 people across the UK with £733.5 million in loans. The British Business Bank’s new "UK Unlocked" campaign supports all entrepreneurs to access the right finance to start and grow.
Entrepreneurship — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Luke Morgan Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): I am really pleased to hear the Minister’s response, and I am grateful for the financial backing the Government give, but for someone sat in Bosworth with a great idea, one of the hardest things they struggle to come up with is where to start, so what are the Government doing to signpost people who want to start a business who are asking exactly that question?
Entrepreneurship — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): The answer to this question is to go to the Coventry and Warwickshire local enterprise partnership growth hub. There are 38 growth hubs around the country that are one-stop shops to get access to that. We are helping SMEs navigate the business finance landscape through those growth hub networks as well. Our detailed business support webpages provide advice for businesses of all sizes across the UK.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Housing
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady will appreciate that the green homes grant initially had three elements: the first dealt with owner-occupier houses, the second was distributed by local authorities in the way she describes, and the third was about public sector building decarbonisation. Two of those elements were successful. The third was a short-term stimulus, which we have closed and are looking to replace.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Felicia Jane Beatrix Drummond (Conservative, Centre-right): Many of my constituents work in the aviation sector and at Southampton Airport. Advances in green technology to cut emissions are vital for the future of air travel, and that may even include electric airplanes, powered by greener fuels. Will my right hon. Friend outline what encouragement the Government will provide in that area?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): In my business engagement, I have been lucky enough, I suppose, to meet the CEO of pladis, the McVitie’s operator. I am not particularly aware of the specifics of what the hon. Gentleman has just informed the House, but I would be very happy to speak to him and others to see what we can do to ensure that the situation is improved. The business seems open; I had a good conversation with the CEO, but I would like to hear more about the specific details of that plant.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Suzanne Webb (Conservative, Centre-right): Levelling up has never been more important than in the historic town of Lye in my constituency, an area that I am determined to help regenerate—made easier, I hope, by the funding put in place by this Government. One business in Stourbridge, I’m Lucky, was unlucky enough to open just before the second lockdown, but with Government support, and helped by its own fantastic entrepreneurism, it has survived. It now has an online shop front, and it has begun recruiting staff. Does my hon. Friend agree that businesses such as I’m Lucky have a vital role to play in levelling up this country?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend, and I wish I’m Lucky all the best for the future. Over the past year, I have met a number of businesses that have opened either at an unfortunate time—just going into a lockdown—or possibly at a fortunate time, as they steal a march and pivot into new business areas. Growing those small and medium-sized enterprises is really important to levelling up. We have already provided over 1,000 start-up loans worth £11.8 million this year. We are reducing employment costs by up to £4,000 through the employment allowance and supporting skills through apprenticeships. The strengthened prompt payment code ensures that those small businesses will get paid within 30 days.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are already embarking on their unprecedented levelling-up agenda. What measures is my hon. Friend planning to facilitate levelling up by small businesses, looking specifically at start-ups and growing SMEs, as well as at issues arising from late payments, reducing employment costs, improving skills such as digital skills, and levelling up apprenticeships? Those are the specific questions asked by the Federation of Small Businesses in Hastings and Rye.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): The Federation of Small Businesses does a great job across the country, including in Hastings and Rye, and, as I said, it is very important that SMEs play a massive role in levelling up around the country. I have talked about the fact that strengthening the prompt payment code will ensure that small businesses get paid within 30 days. We will always do more to make sure that we can support small businesses, because we know that cash flow is king, and they will be a major part of building back better.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Mark Simon Eastwood (Conservative, Centre-right): UK industry, particularly the furniture sector, has seen great benefits in recent years from the British Standards Institution’s leading role in the CEN—the European Committee for Standardisation. As membership of the CEN is not related to being a member of the EU, will the Minister consider renewing our membership at year end so we continue to play a leading role in the development of sensible standards?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for that question. It is really important that he stands up for the furniture industry, as he does. The BSI has informed the Department of its intention to retain its membership to continue to influence the development of standards for the benefit of UK businesses. The Government support that position.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): There are two issues there. On fracking, I was very pleased, as Minister of State, to impose a moratorium on it. The language that we used at the time was that it was going to be evidence-focused and scientifically based. There is no new evidence to suggest that we should end the moratorium, so it stays—no more fracking. On coal mines, I have said specifically that this is a judicial issue, in terms of the west Cumbrian coal mine, and that has to go through the planning process.
Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative, Centre-right): We are considering a range of evidence around covid status certification and whether it may have a role in opening up higher-risk settings, so it would be remiss of a Government Minister or a Government not to look at technologies around the world that would allow us to open up not 20% of Wembley stadium but the whole of Wembley stadium for the FA cup final. No final decisions have been made, and we are of course committed to setting out our conclusions on the review ahead of step 4.
Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Immigration
Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not recognise the hon. Gentleman’s description of the way the system is working. There were some distressing videos posted online of people in airports, but we work with the airports and require them to ensure that social distancing protocols are followed. Indeed, at Heathrow, we recently looked at people from red list countries arriving at a particular terminal. I will take away his point about particular hotels, and if he lets me have the exact details I can look at what is happening, because it is wrong and distressing if people cannot have fresh drinking water.
Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Luke Morgan Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): The people of Bosworth are a pragmatic bunch, as are the people of Leicestershire. Leicestershire surrounds Leicester. What advice does the Minister give to those people who are in Leicestershire who send their kids to school in Leicester, who work in Leicester, and who are thinking of having bank holiday time with family in Leicester?
Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend—[Interruption.] I hear the right hon. Member for Leicester South saying "Good question." He is absolutely right. We have to exercise caution and common sense, as I described earlier, around visiting. People absolutely can visit family and friends at half-term if they follow social distancing guidelines. I think people absolutely will exercise that personal responsibility and common sense when they go about their family time or school time.
Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Antony Higginbotham (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Jason McCartney): what we need now more than ever before is clear communication from the Government, so that residents of Burnley, Blackburn and Bolton know exactly what is expected of them. Will the Minister confirm that this guidance is guidance and that my constituents can still exercise the freedoms that they reclaimed last Monday? Will he meet me and other colleagues to talk through what more we can do to make sure that communication is clear in the areas where we need it most?
Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative, Centre-right): I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend. On the guidance, as I have made clear on a number of occasions at the Dispatch Box, people have to be careful and vigilant, as they have been already A number of colleagues have asked about the Batley and Spen by-election. We have just demonstrated in the local elections that we can conduct elections safely; we will be able to conduct that by-election safely, too. People just need to be sensible. Let us work together, bring this together and take the politics out of it.
Criminal Justice Review: Response to Rape — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): I hope that, given his obvious conviction and commitment to this issue, my hon. Friend will volunteer to be on the Committee that considers the victims’ Bill when it enters the House. It will be a critical part of the architecture of ensuring that we build confidence in the system among victims, and I look forward to its passage through the House.
Telecommunications (Security) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Sunderland (Conservative, Centre-right): I empathise with my right hon. Friend’s view, and I agree that he has a point. My position is the same as the Government’s: I do not think that this Bill is necessarily the vehicle through which we should look at the future of how the ISC operates. I am a keen follower of the ISC and its output. Its work is eminent, and my right hon. Friend’s point is well made.
Telecommunications (Security) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Other
John Henry Hayes (Conservative, Centre-right): Let me cement that point but also perhaps offer an olive branch to the Minister, if I might be so bold. If the Minister, when he sums up, were to make a firm and binding commitment that he, for example, and others will appear before the ISC at our request to be scrutinised on these and other matters, that might go some way—not the whole way, but some way—to assuaging doubts and fears.
Telecommunications (Security) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Other
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): Before I call the Minister, may I say that I am anticipating three Divisions, on new clauses 1, 2 and 3? If there is to be an additional vote, I would like to be informed so that I can call it, but I understand that there are going to be only three Divisions.
Telecommunications (Security) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Other
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): As I announced earlier, there will be three Divisions. As usual—if anything is usual these days—the first will take eight minutes and each subsequent Division will take five Question put, That the clause be read a Second time.
Business without Debate — House of Commons, 2021-05-25
Topic: Other
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): With the leave of the House, we will take motions 11 to 13 together Ordered, Procedure That Douglas Ross be discharged from the Procedure Committee and Gary Sambrook be added Public Accounts That Sir Bernard Jenkin be discharged from the Committee of Public Accounts and Mr Mark Francois and Antony Higginbotham be added. Women and Equalities That Angela Crawley be discharged from the Women and Equalities Committee and Anne McLaughlin be added.—(Bill Wiggin [V], on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
Veterans and Military Charities: Additional Support — House of Commons, 2021-09-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Paul Howell (Conservative, Centre-right): Will the Minister explain specifically how these announcements will help the veterans community hub recently opened in Newton Aycliffe by the lord lieutenant, Sue Snowdon, and veteran Scott Robertson? That fantastic facility provides mental health support, occupational rehabilitation and sports therapy. Will the Minister commend all those involved with the project, but specifically veterans Scott Robertson and Tommy Lowther? While I am about it, will the Minister also thank 100-year-old RAF veteran William Cooksey, who completed a 100-mile walk—10 miles for each of 10 days —to support County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, raising over £3,000? If the Minister would like to come and visit, he would be very welcome.
Operation Warm Welcome — House of Commons, 2021-09-20
Topic: Immigration
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): The whole Government are committed to ensuring that those Afghan nationals evacuated under Op Pitting are properly supported in the UK. Defence is supporting the cross-Government effort, Op Warm Welcome, and we are extending a hand of friendship in the spirit of compassion, comradeship and community.
Operation Warm Welcome — House of Commons, 2021-09-20
Topic: Immigration
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): We are extending that warm hand of welcome. Of course, there is the requirement for some people to be in quarantine, but I can assure the hon. Member that a very thorough effort is being put in place to ensure that that hand of friendship is extended to all who have arrived.