argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Andrew John Bower Mitchell (Conservative, Centre-right): The House will be grateful to my right hon. Friend for the tone of his statement this afternoon. Like him, I yield to no one in my respect and admiration for the vital work that our security agencies accomplish, but it would really have been much better if my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, and his right hon. Friends and colleagues had fully investigated this matter, which has done considerable damage to Britain’s international reputation as a firm upholder of international humanitarian law and human rights. It is clear that the ISC was prevented from conducting the full investigation it wished to undertake by the Government. There are problems with judge-led inquiries that could have been avoided if these matters had been addressed by the ISC. Given where we are and that we promised a judge-led inquiry—I was a member of the Cabinet that made that promise—it seems incumbent on Her Majesty’s Government now to implement that promise in full.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I appreciate my right hon. Friend’s comments. As I said earlier, the question of whether there should be a judge-led inquiry is still to be considered, but on the question of torture generally I hope the House will appreciate that the Government do not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment for any purpose whatsoever. We continue to work closely with international partners to eradicate this abhorrent practice.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): If there is one person in the House whom I would most definitely not describe as a bleeding heart liberal it is my right hon. Friend. I understand exactly what he says, and again I can but reiterate that the Government, in everything they do, under much enhanced rules, procedures and practices and on the back of what we have learned from the Committee and the preceding events, will uphold the rule of law and the decencies that all of us in the House expect.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman’s question itself illustrates the period over which much of this has unfolded. It has been well over a decade, and over that period we have learned an enormous amount and changed our practices. We are fundamentally opposed to unlawful rendition, to which he referred, and as such we do not use rendition. It is not part of our security apparatus. If a foreign Government were to approach Her Majesty’s Government, a request involving the transfer of a person between jurisdictions would be granted only where the purpose of the transit complied fully with international law.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Civil Rights
Roger James Gale (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend plays a significant role through the Council of Europe in seeking to maintain the highest possible standards of human rights throughout the 47 member states. We have a good reputation, and that reputation must be maintained. I fully accept that the first priority of Government must be the protection of the realm, and that that sometimes involves difficult decisions, but if Ministers have failed in the past, is it not right that we should acknowledge that?
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): It would be invidious of me not to thank the right hon. Gentleman for the service that he gives to the Committee, which he joined just after I had left. I do not want to pre-empt speculatively what might be the possible shape of a judge-led inquiry should it so happen, and I hope the right hon. Gentleman will allow me not to answer his question specifically, as it would indeed be only speculative.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I regret that I do not have a statistic of that detail in front of me. I am not sure whether it appears in the Committee report, but I will investigate and write to my hon. Friend if the information is readily available. I do not guarantee that, as I am not sure what statistics are in the public domain.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): Her Majesty’s Government will respond within the 60 days to the Committee report. I do not think there is much more that I can add to that at this stage. Many years have elapsed since the statements were made in 2012 and 2013, and the question of whether anything could be added that would be of benefit to our knowledge or usefulness is increasingly in doubt as time passes.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): This goes back to the answer that I have just given to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Andy Slaughter). The question is whether that can add much more to the fund of knowledge that the Committee has already gathered.
Detainee Mistreatment and Rendition — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I hope that the hon. Gentleman will forgive me if, in answering an urgent question on whether there should be a judge-led inquiry, I have not gone into as much detail as he requests. I am not equipped to give an answer on such a specific question, and the main answers that I have been giving are in response to the definition of the urgent question before the House today.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Public Lands
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): The moorland fires on Saddleworth moor near Manchester and across the border in Lancashire at Winter Hill near Bolton and into Derbyshire remain major incidents. The numbers of fire appliances and firefighters on the scene fluctuates each day according to the immediate need. However, the Manchester fire and rescue service has around 30 fire appliances currently deployed, and 29 appliances have been deployed to the Lancashire fire. In addition, two high-volume pumps are in use, and a variety of specialist equipment and teams. Support is also being provided from other fire and rescue services across the north of England and as far afield as the west midlands, and a team of specialist wildfire firefighters from Wales has also attended the Winter Hill site This wider support is being co-ordinated by a team in the Merseyside fire and rescue service, directly funded by the Home Office, which provides specialist support in major emergencies such as this. Furthermore, 100 military personnel have been providing support on Saddleworth moor since Thursday, and the initial three-day deployment has been extended to tomorrow, with a request now received for the soldiers to continue their support to the Manchester fire and rescue service through until Friday. The response currently also includes one helicopter from the local water company, and support from the National Police Air Service. We remain in regular contact with the fire and rescue services responding to the incident, and I have spoken about the fires with the chiefs of the Manchester and Lancashire fire and rescue services. The Home Secretary has also spoken to the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham I place on the record my appreciation, which will be shared across the House, of the incredible work of the firefighters, the military and the other partner agencies in responding to the wildfires. The current hot, dry weather means that the fires are likely to persist for some time. The Government continue to liaise with the responders on the ground who are tackling the fires, and we are ready to provide further support when it is needed.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Public Lands
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute to the firefighters from Ribble Valley and from Chorley who are fighting those fires on the moors. I also pay tribute to those from the constituency of the Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Jake Berry)—
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Public Lands
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): And Pendle. The list is endless. We pay tribute to the firefighters’ courage and dedication, particularly given the heat they are also having to endure As the Minister knows, there are many summer festivals at this time, and people release lanterns that use candles to make them rise. Clearly, such things are a fire hazard in themselves, so will he look to ban them? Will he also make it absolutely clear that people flying drones over the area could well jeopardise the operation of those fighting the fires?
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Housing
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for referencing the presence of the Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the Front Bench, and I am sure that the Minister is pleased as well.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Soames (Conservative, Centre-right): Because of the extreme drought and dryness in these magnificent and very important areas, will the Minister work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to see whether there is a case for a comprehensive review of the trigger points on the fire severity index to develop a better framework for managing such situations? In addition to his rightful praise for our superb firefighters and the Army, will he also congratulate local farmers, gamekeepers and many others who live and work on the moors whose knowledge, equipment and expertise have greatly assisted the professional help?
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Public Lands
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): I certainly join my right hon. Friend in joining all those people who have contributed, particularly if they have that kind of long, historical expertise of the moors. I certainly also undertake to work closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to make sure that the lessons from this are learned to the full. I can give him some assurance that the National Fire Chiefs Council is driving work nationally to further improve the UK’s approach to wildfire preparedness, prevention and intervention, and this has included a wildfire prevention toolkit, which provides information and a range of tools to help fire and rescue agencies and partner agencies to prevent and reduce the impact of wildfires. He will understand the point: when a major incident such as this is over and has been managed properly, we have, alongside the congratulations and admiration, to learn the lessons from it.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Richard Benyon (Conservative, Centre-right): Unmanaged moorland will often have heather growing to waist height. In circumstances such as this, that makes a tinder box of the moors. When I was at DEFRA, I was in receipt of a lot of appeals from the Moorland Association and others saying, "The wetter the better for moorland." They want to block up grips and to see our moorland getting wetter. Good management of upland areas is vital, so will my right hon. Friend reject the absurd article in The Guardian that seemingly suggests that good moorland management, both for shooting and for agriculture, has in some way been complicit in causing this?
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Public Lands
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): I defer to my right hon. Friend’s personal knowledge and his experience as a highly distinguished DEFRA Minister. I am certainly no expert in moorland management and I think we should listen to the experts on this. That comes back to the point I was making earlier about the need to learn lessons from incidents such as this.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): I can give the hon. Lady that assurance. The primary responsibility of those managing and leading in this situation is the personal protection and safety of their people, and I have heard nothing to the contrary on that. I will seek further reassurances, but my understanding is that the work is being led with the kind of responsibility that she would expect. On her wider point, which she made well, the coalition of community support agencies, civil society and the state agencies coming together under extremely difficult and demanding circumstances has been heroic and deserves the House’s admiration.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Fiona Claire Bruce (Conservative, Centre-right): Will the Minister join me in thanking the on-call firefighters of Alsager community fire station, whom I met yesterday and who, together with fire officers from across Cheshire, are travelling some distance to help with the work at Saddleworth moor? At the same time, fire officers are protecting communities where the heat means that there is risk of fire, as happened at the weekend at Mow Cop in my constituency. Firefighters are spending long hours protecting us, as well as going to Saddleworth moor.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted to show appreciation for and thank, on the Government’s behalf, all the fire services that are involved in the support operation for these major incidents, as well as to thank my hon. Friend’s local service for the work that it does back in Staffordshire.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): The ho. Lady makes an extremely good point about the importance of the highly valued contribution of the voluntary sector and civil society in these types of situations, in which the combination of the state and civil society working together is so effective. I know from the fire officers how much that voluntary work has been appreciated. The Government do a lot to support the voluntary sector in this country. As we look forward and try to learn from these lessons, we need to think harder about the role of civil society and how it is supported in these situations.
Saddleworth Moor and Tameside: Ongoing Fire — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Richard Hurd (Conservative, Centre-right): The environmental damage associated with these fires is terrible. The hon. Lady will understand that my priority at the moment is to support the emergency services in managing the short-term situation and in getting it under control. On the longer-term issues, including the one that she is talking about, and the conversations that need to take place between the Home Office and other Departments, including DEFRA, those will happen.
June European Council — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. I remind the House that, in accordance with long-standing convention, right hon. and hon. Members who came into the Chamber after the Prime Minister began her statement should not expect to be called to question her about it. More widely, if I am to have any chance of accommodating the understandably extensive interest in the matter, there will be a premium upon brevity, which is now to be brilliantly exemplified by Mr John Redwood.
June European Council — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Immigration
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): In fact, the majority of the time at the Council was spent discussing migration. It is important, because this is an issue that affects the whole of Europe. We have seen movements coming into Europe before the date to which my hon. Friend has referred, and, indeed, after it. We now need to ensure that we are taking some of the steps that the UK encouraged the EU to take at an earlier stage in relation to, for example, further action upstream. That is, I think, the best way in which to ensure that we do not see people in the hands of people-smugglers, making perilous journeys and risking their lives.
June European Council — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): I think that the overwhelming view of the British public is that they took a vote, they want the Government to deliver on it, and they want us to get on with delivering on it. That is exactly what we are doing.
June European Council — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Immigration
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): We have already taken steps in the work we do to resettle Syrian refugees here in the UK. We work with the UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration in region to ensure the conditions are met and we can process those claims and cases as well as possible The hon. Lady mentioned the regional disembarkation centres and platforms that have been talked about. The precise point of those, which is why the discussions are taking place with the UNHCR and the IOM, is to ensure that people can be prevented from making the dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean that lead to loss of lives, and that proper circumstances can be set up in which their situation can be assessed. That is why we must look at the practicality and legal viability of this, but it is important that we work with the IOM and UNHCR in doing so.
June European Council — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Immigration
Thomas Christopher John Pursglove (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my right hon. Friend agree that our holistic approach of predominately focusing our aid in the region means that we maximise the number of refugees that we help while minimising the number of perilous journeys undertaken? Is she encouraging other European leaders to follow suit?
June European Council — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Immigration
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): One of the things people voted for when they voted to leave the European Union was to bring an end to free movement, and that will be the case. The hon. Gentleman may be aware that the Migration Advisory Committee has been asked to advise the Home Office on the question of the contribution made to our economy by workers from within the European Union, and it will be reporting on that later this year.
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Charles Kerr (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the statement from my right hon. Friend. May I also say how important it is for my constituents and the families of those who have been impacted by this that the inquiry is conducted in a speedy fashion, with answers and conclusions available as soon as possible? Can he confirm that the lessons learned from the experience of the Scottish inquiry will be fully taken on board by Sir Brian?
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): My Cabinet colleagues are all very determined to get to the truth over this. It is important that the truth comes out both, and most importantly, to provide justice and transparency for the survivors and their families, and to ensure that any lessons about public administration can be learned and applied so that our constituents never have to go through such an experience again.
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Huw William Merriman (Conservative, Centre-right): On behalf of my constituents who have been affected by this most horrendous situation, may I welcome the update that the Secretary of State has given? With regard to their ability to be able to propose experts and to put forward questions to expert groups, how will that opportunity be cascaded so that no one misses out?
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): It will be for the chair and his team to set out exactly how they plan to run the inquiry and how the expert groups, once appointed, will operate, but Sir Brian has demonstrated already his commitment to engage closely with survivors and campaign groups. I know that he will be very determined to ensure that nobody does inadvertently miss out on the opportunity to pose whatever questions they wish.
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): I can definitely give the right hon. Gentleman that assurance. I shall be taking particular note when Sir Brian reports back to me in, I hope, a few weeks’ time of the views that have been expressed by campaigners and survivors’ groups in response to the proposals that he has tabled.
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Edmund Francis Hughes (Conservative, Centre-right): A number of Members have commented on the importance of concluding this inquiry quickly, but will my right hon. Friend update us on the work that the chair of the inquiry has already done in preparing for the future stages?
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): In his letter proposing the terms of reference, Sir Brian Langstaff said to me that different groups had different views on how the inquiry should best be approached, and he will want to ensure that everybody gets their fair say. Obviously it is for the inquiry, not for Ministers, to determine who should be accepted as core participants.
Infected Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Roy Lidington (Conservative, Centre-right): The question of whether there will be formal interim reports is a matter for the inquiry chair under the terms of the 2005 Act, but I can assure the Farrugia family, through the hon. Gentleman, that all proceedings of the inquiry and the expert groups will be public. I am sure that Sir Brian will want to ensure that the records of those proceedings are made widely available to all who are particularly affected.
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Other
Robert James MacGillivray Neill (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my hon. Friend agree about the importance of the objectivity that properly experienced counsel on both sides bring to these matters, as has been seen demonstrated in a number of recent cases? That cannot be got on the cheap—and I must declare my interest as well.
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE — House of Commons, 2018-07-02
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alexander John Gervase Chalk (Conservative, Centre-right): Is the hon. and learned Lady’s experience from Scotland that broadening access to early advice and assistance can help litigants to understand the strengths and weaknesses of potential litigation and perhaps even to decide not to pursue it?