argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): Because of the increased frequency of such flood events, there have been a number of reviews of our approach to flooding, including the Pitt review under the last Labour Government and others since then. We have significantly improved our ability to forecast weather events and flood events and to respond to them through organisations such as the local resilience forums, on which fire brigades are fully represented.
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an important point. Some of these nature-based solutions not only help with biodiversity and with tackling climate change; they can also improve our resilience to flooding by increasing the permeability of the soil to prevent run-off into our watercourses.
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): As I made clear earlier, we have stood up the flood recovery framework, and that includes business rate relief and also grants to help our businesses to repair the damage in a way that is flood resilient.
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Lucy Allan (Conservative, Centre-right): In my constituency we have had two severe flood warnings in the last week, and as I speak the River Severn is rising and Ironbridge looks set to experience difficulties with the flood barriers overtopping. I thank the Minister for the amazing work of his team and of the Environment Agency. Will he ensure that my constituents in the affected areas will continue to receive this level of support during this very difficult time?
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes the important point that we are not yet out of the woods with this particular incident. Rainfall over the past 48 hours is still working its way through the Severn in particular, and towns such as Ironbridge are still at risk. We are monitoring the situation closely.
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Housing
Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure that my right hon. Friend has stood under a roof to see the sheer volume of rainwater that falls off. The more we build in our towns and cities, the more water falls onto increasingly concrete areas. Surely the planning system should sort something out, so that the developers must ensure when such agreements are made that water can escape to an appropriate place.
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Peter William Bone (Conservative, Centre-right): When the storms came to Wellingborough, the flood plains flooded, as they were supposed to, but 50 horses were unfortunately illegally settled on the floodplain. Four of those horses have died, and the emergency evacuation of 43 horses is continuing at this very moment. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss a problem that continues to affect not only my constituency, but others across the country?
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Ben Spencer (Conservative, Centre-right): My constituents are persecuted by ongoing flood warnings and flood alerts. Thankfully, although we have had some flooding, we have not seen a repeat of 2014. Does the Secretary of State agree that we urgently need to build the River Thames scheme to protect homes and communities?
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an important point. Every part of our country suffers some degree of flood risk, and we have approaches that prioritise capital spending in the areas that are most at risk and where we will protect the greatest number of homes. The Environment Agency will shortly publish an updated strategy.
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Kieran John Mullan (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I have seen examples in my constituency of local residents warning of flood risk outside of recognised flood plains, but development happened anyway and, sure enough, flooding follows. What more can we do to ensure the planning system listens to local knowledge about local flood risks that the Environment Agency may not typically recognise?
Flooding — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Charles George Eustice (Conservative, Centre-right): In any planning system, it is obviously open to people to contribute during the consultation phase. As a general rule, local Environment Agency staff, who understand the topography and hydrology of different rivers in a given catchment, are best placed to make such judgments.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady for her point of order. She knows, as the House knows, that the Chair has no responsibility for Ministers nor authority to tell Ministers when they should answer questions, but Mr Speaker will be concerned that the hon. Lady put down a named day question and that no answer has been forthcoming after such a long time. I am sure that the hon. Lady’s purpose is to draw general attention to this matter, and I think she has successfully done so. I am sure that the Treasury Bench will note what she has asked.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate the hon. Lady on bringing forward the best point of order I have ever heard in the Chamber. It is good to note this important anniversary. It was a wonderful occasion when Lady Astor made her maiden speech in this Chamber, as the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard) knows so well given his work to arrange celebrations for this great centenary. The hon. Member for Leeds West (Rachel Reeves) tempts me to give a personal answer to her question. I am with her in my disagreement with Lady Astor’s strange ideas about alcohol. There are many ways in which the centenary ought to be celebrated, and perhaps some of us will to be able to do so this evening by proving Lady Astor wrong—[Laughter.]
Local Government Finance (England) — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Public Lands
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): Will my right hon. Friend congratulate the parish councils for the really important work that they do to look after flood victims? In Coton in the Elms, Willington, Egginton —goodness me, I need to say so many more—Repton and Barrow upon Trent they worked so hard to help their neighbours in the very difficult times during the recent floods.
Local Government Finance (England) — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Robert Edward Jenrick (Conservative, Centre-right): If the hon. Lady is concerned about funding for local public services, she will join me and my colleagues in supporting the best local government settlement we have seen for a decade. She says that council tax is regressive, so what happened under the last Labour Government, when council tax doubled? Under this Government council tax has fallen by 6% in real terms, while we have continued to deliver important public services I was determined to champion local government in September’s spending review. I want to thank those who responded so constructively to the two consultations we ran at the end of last year. We can be proud of what we have achieved, and particularly of how the settlement delivers for the most vulnerable in society. It secures £1 billion of new Government funding for social care, alongside the extra £410 million that we invested last year. That is a major new injection of funding that will help local authorities to meet the undoubted rising pressures on the care system, which we all see in our communities and in our own lives We will also be maintaining all funding going into the improved better care fund, at the same time as the NHS contribution to the better care fund rises by 3.4% above inflation to over £4 billion, in line with the broader NHS settlement. Alongside this, I am allowing local authorities responsible for adult social care to raise council tax by an additional 2% above the core referendum principle. That is a necessary step that is specifically targeted to meet demand and ensure that vulnerable people are supported.
Local Government Finance (England) — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Robert Edward Jenrick (Conservative, Centre-right): It will be, yes, and that is absolutely right. It is important that the new formula, when we bring it forward, takes account of sparsity, the cost of delivering public services in rural settings and the fact that there is deprivation to be found in shire counties, as there is in other parts of the country. I say that as a representative of the county of Nottinghamshire, with long-standing pockets of deprivation in former coalfield communities, all of which needs to be taken into consideration as we bring forward a better updated formula Another priority on which not just social care but so many other vital services rest is ensuring that councils have the stability that they need to plan ahead, and I believe that this settlement will help them to do that. It maintains all the grants from 2019-20 and increases core funding in line with inflation. Today, I am announcing a £40 million boost for the sector from the business rates levy account—extra funding that I know will be very welcome by the sector. I recognise that this is a one-year settlement, and I will be leading another push at the comprehensive spending review later this year to ensure that local services get the long-term funding that they need. This stability also gives authorities a platform from which to drive efficiencies and learn from the very best practice of councils across the country, and will act as a spur to improvement.
Local Government Finance (England) — House of Commons, 2020-02-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Gary William Sambrook (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my right hon. Friend agree that the problem in Birmingham is that the Labour administration simply cannot control a budget or deliver services properly? For instance, it spent £15 million on resolving the bin dispute, we have a budget for a bus depot that has gone from £2 million to £15 million, and £100 million for all three phases of the Paradise development was spent in the first phase. The problem is that Labour councillors cannot manage a budget.
Covid-19: Further and Higher Education — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Michelle Emma May Elizabeth Donelan (Conservative, Centre-right): We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone, including students, which is why we have worked with the Office for Students to help providers. We have reallocated funds totalling £46 million for April and May for hardship funds for students. On accommodation specifically, we have sent the clear message that accommodation providers need to be fair and transparent in their policies for students. The Treasury has announced additional measures to protect renters who are tenants.
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Other
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, it is a big team effort and all play their part. People have different roles, of course, and people on the frontline have been incredibly flexible in the roles that they play, but all play a critical part and all deserve our support.
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Civil Rights
Luke Morgan Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): In an earlier answer, the Secretary of State kindly went through the definitions of all the different vulnerable groups. Definitions are really important, especially as we start to consider releasing the lockdown. When that point comes, will he be crystal clear about exactly who is entitled to do what and when and ensure that everyone in the public knows that?
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): The more people who download the app the better it will be and the more effective it will be in keeping people safe. However, even small numbers downloading it will help us to spot hotspots and so will bring some value. I was really delighted yesterday afternoon to hear from Isle of Wight Radio, which stated that 80% of people on the Isle of Wight in an early survey said that they wanted to download the app. That would be a terrific result. I pay tribute to the work of Isle of Wight Radio and the local press on the Isle of Wight, who have taken to Isle of Wight’s important role in piloting this roll-out with enthusiasm. There is no numerical answer to the hon. Gentleman’s question. The answer is that as many as possible will make us as safe as possible.
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): We have looked into this very important question. Of course, test, track and trace is a system. The app is one part of it, but the human contact traces are an important part of the system, as is the advice we give to people to contact their own significant contacts themselves. The whole system has been designed knowing that a proportion of the population does not have a smart phone. There are many older people who do have smart phones. I am sure, for instance, that the shadow Secretary of State is probably sending a message to his parents right now on the smart phone he is using instead of listening to my hon. Friend’s question. There is a serious point, which is that of course we have had to take that into account. It is another reason why the Isle of Wight is such a good place to trial it, because there are elderly residents on the Isle of Wight. We will work out and learn a lot from how effective that trial is.
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Public Lands
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for his answers and congratulate him and all the hardworking staff in the NHS and carers on looking after us. Will he support my campaign to have a memorial placed at the National Arboretum at the heart of the country as a fitting way to commemorate the sad loss of essential workers to covid-19?
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend, who probably has the most spectacular backdrop to any questioner in this session, is right to raise that issue. It is happening: the right personal protection equipment that can safely be decontaminated and reused is being decontaminated and reused. That is an important part of the solution to the challenge of getting the right PPE to the right people, right across the board. It does not work in all instances and first and foremost it has to be safe, but it is a part of the solution and my right hon. Friend is right to raise it.
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Julian Murray Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend has proved himself to be a brilliant multi-tasker, so will he kindly turn some of his attention to a firm in my constituency that has access to a network of manufacturers in southern China that believes it can supply a million items of gowns, visors, masks and other PPE equipment per week if only someone from Government would get in touch? I am very happy to text him the details directly, but I have been trying for three weeks and still Government have not got in touch with this firm.
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2020-05-05
Topic: Other
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, of course; if I get the details, I am very happy to do that. I would also be very happy to know where my right hon. Friend had his hair cut, because it is extraordinary. No one else has such smart hair. Everyone is looking increasingly bushy.
New Hospital Projects — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Other
Edward John Comport Argar (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is indeed excellent news. As he will be aware, the public consultation process is under way. It would be wrong for me to prejudge that, but I encourage everyone to participate.
New Hospital Projects — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
Edward John Comport Argar (Conservative, Centre-right): I gently say that I am not going to prejudge the outcome of the consultation, in which I am sure that the hon. Lady would encourage others to participate. Regardless of the outcome, I am sure that she would want to welcome the £500 million investment from the Government that will benefit her community and others.
NHS Workers: Immigrants — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.; What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): This Government will be introducing an NHS visa, which will offer reduced fees and fast-track access for overseas doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to work in the UK. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will be outlining detailed plans in due course.
NHS Workers: Immigrants — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.; What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.
Andrew Campbell Bowie (Conservative, Centre-right): Scotland has an increasing crisis of GP shortages, and in NHS Grampian—where £1 million had to be spent on agency nurses this winter—we have an increasing nursing crisis. Some people are understandably concerned that the changes to immigration rules will have an adverse effect. Can my hon. Friend confirm that the new NHS visa will be applicable in Scotland as well?
NHS Workers: Immigrants — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.; What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.
Simon James Jupp (Conservative, Centre-right): As we all know, nurses, midwives, paramedics and physiotherapists are highly skilled roles, and the Government have been clear that they meet the immigration skills threshold. What steps is the Department taking to dispel the level of fake news on the subject, and to encourage the brightest and best from around the world to apply for these important roles?
NHS Workers: Immigrants — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.; What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): The salary threshold for people coming to work in the NHS in the roles that my hon. Friend mentioned are linked to NHS pay bands, and applicants will have more than enough points to apply under the new immigration system. We are working with NHS employers to encourage international applicants. I thank my hon. Friend for giving me the opportunity once again to dispel any myths in this area.
NHS Workers: Immigrants — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.; What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): The NHS visa is in place. There are also plans in place to ensure that we have international recruitment alongside investment in a home-grown workforce, and that we increase retention rates and the number of returners to provide the NHS with the staff it needs.
NHS Workers: Immigrants — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.; What steps he is taking with the Home Secretary to fast-track immigration applications from doctors and nurses who want to work in the NHS.
Jeremy Richard Streynsham Hunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate the Department on securing the NHS visa but, as the Minister knows, it does not apply to nurses and care workers in the social care sector. What is the Department’s assessment of the gap there will be in the social care workforce as a result of this new immigration policy, and how are discussions going with the Home Office and No. 10 on that issue?
NHS Medicines — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Other
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I am very happy to look at that research and for either me or the Minister to meet the hon. Member and those whom she represents through the APPG. This is of course a very important issue. I think that it has been under-discussed for too long and should be brought up the agenda.
Points-based Immigration — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): The points-based immigration system is designed so that the UK can attract the brightest and best individuals to work here. As the hon. Member no doubt knows, jobs where there is a recognised shortage of supply, such as nurses, are on the shortage occupation list, and people filling those roles will score more than enough points to come to the UK. We are also introducing the NHS visa to make it easier for doctors, nurses and health professionals from all around the world to come to work here.
Points-based Immigration — House of Commons, 2020-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Helen Olivia Bicknell Whately (Conservative, Centre-right): We have the NHS visa, which applies to the whole United Kingdom. The Migration Advisory Committee has been clear that UK immigration policy must benefit the whole UK, and Scotland benefits from its own shortage occupation list, which will continue to exist.