argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Gavin Alexander Williamson (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting this issue, and I would be very happy to meet her to discuss this important work. We have an ambitious plan to upgrade our school estate. We have seen the roll-out of that, and even the shadow Education Secretary, the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green), has benefited from the Government’s investment in education—I am looking forward to the warm words of thanks that will no doubt be winging their way to me. I certainly hope that it is not just the shadow Education Secretary but my hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Laura Trott) who benefits.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Gavin Alexander Williamson (Conservative, Centre-right): Obviously, Scottish universities are benefiting from bringing in additional fee income as a result of the changes that have happened. We have set out, as part of our international education strategy, a very ambitious plan to benefit all universities right across the United Kingdom. I would be very happy to send the hon. Lady a copy of the plan. Hopefully, she will see the real benefits of being part of the United Kingdom: we can market on a global level—not just in the European Union, but right across the world—to attract international students.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Christopher Mark Clarkson (Conservative, Centre-right): Diolch yn fawr, and dydd gŵyl Dewi hapus, Mr Speaker. I put on record my thanks to the Department for Education’s ministerial team for all the work that they have done, especially in my Heywood and Middleton constituency, to put the rights of vulnerable children first during the pandemic, but may I ask for an assurance that they will continue to champion the rights of children as we leave the pandemic?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Labor
Gavin Alexander Williamson (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady for raising this point. I am happy to ask my office to get in touch with her for details, so that we can highlight this to the Department for Work and Pensions.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Robert Henry Halfon (Conservative, Centre-right): The Schools Minister has said that pupils wearing masks on the school estate is a matter of advisory guidance. If a pupil, or a parent acting on their behalf, objects to complying with their headteacher’s wish for pupils to wear a mask, are we not in danger of creating mask anarchy? Enormous pressure is being put on headteachers in Harlow because of the confusion, including Vic Goddard, the headteacher of Harlow Passmores School. Is it not better to come down firmly on one side or another, and provide clear, definitive regulations to help teaching staff?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Nicolas John Gibb (Conservative, Centre-right): Most national funding formula elements are based on the October census. The pupil premium is based on Ever 6, so any child who has been eligible for free school meals at any time in the past six years qualifies for the pupil premium. Changes in one particular year do not therefore make up a large proportion of pupil premium eligibility. On top of that, we announced last week an additional £300 million recovery premium, which is based on eligibility for free school meals. The October 2020 census will ensure that most schools will receive more money, and overall we expect the pupil premium to rise as a consequence of that census from £2.4 billion to £2.5 billion.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Mark Peter Fletcher (Conservative, Centre-right): On Friday, I spoke to two brilliant maintained nursery schools in my constituency. These schools are vital to families in South Normanton and Pinxton, but they are struggling without a sustainable financial future. Could my hon. Friend the Minister commit to pressuring the Treasury to give these schools the certainty that they need?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Victoria Grace Ford (Conservative, Centre-right): Maintained nursery schools often do a fantastic job, especially with children from disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs, and they will continue to receive supplementary funding in the next financial year. The Government remain committed to long-term funding of maintained nursery schools, and we are considering how to ensure that we give those maintained nursery schools a long-term picture of their funding.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Gavin Alexander Williamson (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman is right to highlight this. The Department made the decision to extend access to free school meals to these children during the pandemic. I would be happy to meet him to discuss all this in greater detail. That review is reaching the final stages of conclusion, but we have not yet been able to report. As soon as we do, we will inform the House.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Kieran John Mullan (Conservative, Centre-right): I have heard directly from providers such as Little Angels and the Westminster Nursery School in Crewe about the extra cost of operating as a result of covid, in what is already a difficult financial situation for the sector. What additional funding might we expect for early years providers, to help them play their role in supporting catch-up after the lockdown period?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Victoria Grace Ford (Conservative, Centre-right): On top of the £3.6 billion that we are planning to spend on early entitlements this year, there is the catch-up and recovery programme. That includes the amazing Nuffield early language intervention—NELI—scheme, which has already been adopted by 40% of reception classes across the country. The new recovery money that we announced last week includes another £10 million for early years projects, and I can tell the House more details about those very soon.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (Conservative, Centre-right): I was interested to read the recent report entitled "Back to School—and After" by the Institute of Economic Affairs, which outlines a number of policies that would help to resolve critical issues facing our schools. Summer holidays are a key area, and it appears that they prove counterproductive for pupils, leading to a reduction in learning. I wonder whether the Minister would kindly look at the proposal to restructure the school year to reduce the length of summer holidays—a policy that will greatly benefit pupils and parents.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Gavin Alexander Williamson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend raises an important matter. We have asked Sir Kevan Collins to look across a full and broad range of ways of giving children a boost, not just to catch up on any learning that they have lost but more fundamentally, to make major changes to how we drive educational attainment over a generation and more. All of this is something that Sir Kevan will look at.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Education
Gavin Alexander Williamson (Conservative, Centre-right): Mr Speaker, I join you and, I am sure, all Members of the House in welcoming the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Amy Callaghan) back and wishing her the very best. The Turing scheme offers young people and universities an amazing opportunity to explore amazing opportunities right around the globe, far broader and greater than the Erasmus scheme. I very much hope that universities and the wider education sector—including colleges and schools, which also have access to the Turing scheme as a result of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020—in Scotland as well as in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will really be able to take advantage of this brilliant opportunity. As I say, I wish the hon. Lady the very best.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for the great work he did as Secretary of State. He was the first Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and I think that we can all say that we appreciate the outstanding work he did at that time The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring the future of manufacturing at Ellesmere Port and to secure the jobs and livelihoods of the workers at the plant. Since I was appointed Business Secretary last month, I have held a number of meetings with both Vauxhall and its new parent company, Stellantis, to support the company to make a positive investment decision. Only last week, I also held a constructive meeting with the general secretary of Unite, Mr Len McCluskey. Over the coming days and weeks, I, fellow Ministers and officials at BEIS will continue this intensive dialogue with the company More widely, the Government are continuing their long-standing programme of support to keep the British automotive sector at the forefront of technology and maintain its competitiveness, building on the work that my right hon. Friend did through the automotive sector deal It is my priority as Business Secretary to ensure that the UK continues to enjoy the benefits from our transition to ultra low and zero emission vehicles by continuing to build an agile, innovative and cost-competitive supply chain, which we need to secure vital international investment. With that in mind, we remain dedicated and absolutely committed to securing UK battery manufacturing. As part of the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan, we have already announced £500 million to support the electrification of vehicles and their supply chains, and other strategically important technologies, through the automotive transformation fund over the next four years. We continue to work with investors through the automotive transformation fund, and to progress plans for manufacturing the batteries that we will need for the next generation of electric vehicles here in the UK The Government and industry have jointly committed almost £1.5 billion through the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Faraday battery challenge to support the research, development and manufacture of zero and low emission technologies. Between 2013 and 2020, the Advanced Propulsion Centre has funded 67 collaborative R&D projects, creating and safeguarding nearly 47,000 jobs, with projected CO2 savings of 244 million tonnes I repeat: we are 100% committed to making sure that the UK continues to be one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing, and we are doing all we can to protect and create jobs while securing a competitive future for the sector here in the UK in particular, including at Ellesmere Port.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is quite right. The issues raised by his question are of critical strategic importance, and I fully appreciate the work that he did on driving the industrial strategy. As he pointed out, the industrial strategy set the foundation for vaccines and the success of the vaccine roll-out. He is quite right to point out that we need the same rigour and focus in ensuring that the United Kingdom continues to be an attractive place in which to invest for the manufacture of electric vehicles, in order to meet the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan. Electric vehicles were a key part of that 10-point plan.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not recognise some of the premises of the hon. Member’s question. The Prime Minister’s 10-point plan, far from being full of platitudes, is a world beater. I saw a story in The Guardian yesterday about the UN saying that other countries are struggling to meet our targets and our performance on decarbonisation and net zero, so I do not recognise that. She is right to suggest that we are 100% focused on securing these vital jobs. We are totally committed to net zero. I was lucky enough to be the energy Minister who landed the energy White Paper—the first energy White Paper that the Government published in 13 years. We are very focused on trying to land investment to drive the green industrial revolution here in this country.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Ian Richard Peregrine Liddell-Grainger (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State is fully aware of the remarkable site we have down here in Somerset at Gravity, where we could put not only a megafactory but a battery factory. We would welcome his support for the Gravity site, because it is one of the best sites in the United Kingdom. We have just applied for freeport status as well, to help the situation with Bristol port. Will the Secretary of State stand up and say that this is one of the sites in Britain that should be considered for the very important future of car manufacturing and battery manufacturing in the United Kingdom?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman raises two issues. I think the Brexit deal is a success. Given the fact that we had two general elections in that period and five years in which we spoke about nothing other than Brexit, to reach a deal in the time we did was successful, and clearly Nissan committed itself to Sunderland on the back of this very good deal. He is quite right: I think we can go further and faster in driving the transition—the energy transition—and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan and the energy White Paper, which I have referred to, point the way in that regard.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Mark Julian Francis Pawsey (Conservative, Centre-right): The rules of origin requirements to continue selling vehicles tariff-free to the EU and the high proportion of the cost of batteries in electric vehicles make providing gigafactories urgent. The Secretary of State will be aware of proposals for the Coventry airport site, which are already at an advanced level. It is close to the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre and it is of course in the historic home of the motor industry, making it an obvious location. Does the Secretary of State agree that this development in Coventry would place the UK at the heart of electric vehicle manufacturing?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): I think the hon. Gentleman is quite right. There are two issues here: there is a local issue, and I can only imagine the uncertainty under which the excellent workers in his constituency and at that site are working; and there is of course a national issue. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we are committed to having gigafactories in this country. We are 100% committed to that, and I am very hopeful that we can reach a satisfactory conclusion about the continued investment and support for Stellantis in his constituency.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
John Michael Howell (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful for what the Secretary of State has said about the amount of investment being made in batteries, but may I ask him for his support for companies such as those at the Culham Science Centre, which he recently visited, that are undertaking groundbreaking research in batteries, including in aviation?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Transportation
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady is right. We are considering many ways to stimulate the demand to drive this critical agenda. It was a big step for the Prime Minister to announce that we would try to phase out the purchase of internal combustion engine cars by 2030. There was some opposition to that, but it was clearly the right move and we are looking at all sorts of other measures to promote the demand that she wants to see.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): Many of my constituents make the highly successful Vivaro van at the plant in Luton. Can the Secretary of State say what the Government are doing to encourage electric van manufacture here in the United Kingdom?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a critical point. My hon. Friend understands about Stellantis as well, because he refers to the successful plant in Luton. What we want to see is a successful renewed commitment to Ellesmere Port, such as that which is found in Luton. He will know that the fourth point of the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan was all about driving up electric vehicle take-up and, obviously, that includes vans.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Environment
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): Clearly, the right hon. Gentleman and I may have a different view on the threat of climate change, including, in particular, the drive to net zero. I suggest to him that the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan has been well received. There has been huge support across the United Kingdom to see cleaner technology and electric vehicles and many people are very supportive of the Government’s measures in this regard.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
David Mervyn Johnston (Conservative, Centre-right): Last month, I met representatives from Johnson Matthey, which is opening a new flagship site at Milton Park in my constituency, where it will develop and test advance batches, working both to lengthen the driving distances and shorten the charging times. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is a very welcome development that supports the Government’s ambition to transition us to electric vehicles as well as to help us meet our 2050 net zero goal?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Environment
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted to answer that question, because it relates to an earlier answer that I gave. There are new jobs and opportunities in this push towards net zero. I would be very pleased to visit the Johnson Matthey site in Wantage and I think that it is an excellent development that we are all extremely pleased about.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said to my right hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark), the Government are 100% committed to making sure those jobs stay. We are in conversations—negotiations, if they may be called that—with the company. We are also very committed to the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan and driving the energy transition, which will have economic impacts, secure jobs and be a great thing not only in the fight against climate change but for the economic development of our country.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Mark Ian Jenkinson (Conservative, Centre-right): The transition to electric vehicles is essential if we are to hit our world-beating commitment of net zero emissions by 2050. Will my right hon. Friend set out his plans to support the wider roll-out of vehicle charging points in places such as my constituency, where our rurality has necessitated the slower uptake of electric vehicles?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Transportation
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend raises a crucial point. Clearly, without a successful roll-out of charging points we will struggle to meet the targets we have set ourselves. We have committed £90 million already to facilitate the roll-out of larger-scale charge point infrastructure projects across England for local areas, and we will continue to support that. I would be very happy to have a conversation with him about how we can best do that.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Lady will have seen from these questions, we are looking at a number of sites. We are absolutely committed to having at least one gigafactory site, if not more—I think we need more than one—before the next election. I could not be clearer about our commitment to the transition and ultimately to reaching net zero by 2050.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure my right hon. Friend will agree that the best sites for gigafactories are those where the automotive sector is strong, transport connections are good and battery technology development is already a feature of the local economy. In that regard, I am entirely with my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) in saying that the Coventry airport site is an excellent one—coincidentally, it is, despite its name, in my constituency. My right hon. Friend would be very welcome to visit at any point, and I am grateful for his encouraging words about it. May I ask him also to accept that sites, however good, are no good without occupants? Will he use the resources he has talked about, and his time and that of his officials, to identify the right sites early and work with those promoting them to secure occupants—companies that manufacture batteries on site—as soon as we can?
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to give my right hon. and learned Friend that assurance—that is exactly what we are trying to do. We are talking to local communities and local leaders about various sites up and down the country where we can site gigafactories. I am very conscious of the fact that Coventry, given its history and that of the midlands, would be an excellent place in which such a factory could be located.
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-03-01
Topic: Energy
Stephen Daniel Double (Conservative, Centre-right): I draw the House’s attention to my role as chair of the all-party group for critical minerals. All the batteries for these electric vehicles will require a reliable supply of critical minerals, particularly lithium. The Secretary of State will be aware that a significant deposit of lithium has been identified in Cornwall, and its commercial extraction is being developed by two companies. Will he confirm that the Government recognise the huge potential benefit to the UK of having a secure domestic supply of lithium? Does he agree that it would make sense for battery manufacturing to be located as close as possible to the extraction and processing of lithium, and will he meet me to discuss the potential opportunity of a gigafactory being built in Cornwall?