argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): Forgive me for not being here earlier, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank the hon. Lady for letting me intervene on her. As I understand it, this measure will be tapered, so someone who is earning below £16,250 a year will be better off. It is only as people get to the top end of earnings that it will apply. Moreover, it will not come in until the summer, when we look at the national insurance Bill.
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Social Welfare
Stewart Jackson (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady is making typically lucid points, but is it not incumbent on her party, given that there is a broad consensus that we need to fund social care better—the Chancellor announced an extra £2 billion —to identify where that money would come from? If she does not want it to be raised through national insurance contributions, where else will it come from?
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Labor
Jeremy Mark Quin (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the hon. Gentleman welcome, as I do, the improvement in the pension scenario for the people about whom he is speaking, which is worth about £1,800 a year, and which if bought could be worth about £50,000? It is not all one way.
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Stewart Jackson (Conservative, Centre-right): While we are asking questions, is the hon. Gentleman embarrassed about the fact that a Conservative Government have brought about a situation in which 1% of taxpayers fund 27% of tax revenues? At the same time, £140 billion in uncollected taxes that the Labour Government did nothing about have been collected in the past seven years to fund our public services.
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Gary Nicholas Streeter (Conservative, Centre-right): We are one of the richest economies in the world. The distributional analysis published alongside the Budget by the Treasury is embarrassing. The picture that plays out across this Parliament as a result of the tax, spending and welfare decisions made by the Chancellor and his predecessors is very clear. The poorest households and, on an unprogressive gradient, those from lower income households, are absolutely clobbered by this Government Only the very richest decile are worse affected than the very worst paid and the least well-off. Someone who is paying the very highest rate of tax will pay more than the very poorest as a percentage of their income, but for some of those people, a tax increase of thousands of pounds a year is relatively small change compared with a £20, £40 or £50 increase for the very poorest. What would be marginal increases for hon. Members are huge for people who are just about managing to pay the bills or, more likely, people who are among the millions turning to credit cards and fuelling a record boom in unsecured household debt. That is what Tory Chancellors always fail to understand. They have no understanding and no conception of what it is like to go without, or of having to cut corners between either heating or eating. That is why, for the past seven years of Tory Budgets, those are the people who have been most left behind.
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: International Affairs
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman and I have a great interest in Yemen, both of us having lived there. My concern is that if we do not keep the aid in the bank, it might end up on some quayside in some dodgy port, where we do not want it to be and where it can be rifled by the mafia. We have to find a balance when we talk about delivering aid, particularly to somewhere like Yemen, because although we may be able to put the aid into the country, there it will sit until someone steals it.
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Stewart Jackson (Conservative, Centre-right): It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty) The Labour party clearly has a rich vein of irony, as it is masquerading as the friend of the entrepreneur and the self-employed. Perhaps the white van man taskforce will be headed up by the right hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry), who has great affinity with white van man The fact of the matter is that Labour Members must be living on a different plant from the rest of us, because this Budget was actually a consolidation of seven years’ work to rescue this country’s fiscal credibility from the disastrous mess left by the Labour party, including the record peacetime debt that we had in 2010. I also have to say that in my 12 years in the House, I have rarely seen a poorer Budget response than that from the Leader of the Opposition—no wonder his own MPs had their heads in their hands.
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Labor
Jane Ellison (Conservative, Centre-right): No, we have said that it is 20% of the fund, but the vast majority of the national insurance fund pays towards the state pension, which, as has been made clear, is now available to the employed and the self-employed. That is part of an important and necessary step to level up what benefits people get. It is also important and necessary to level the playing field when it comes to what people pay in The Prime Minister has asked Matthew Taylor to look at the important issue of employment rights. We will get the Taylor review later this year and will return to look at those important issues. Whether people are self-employed or an employee, if they do a similar job, get a similar wage and receive similar benefits, they should pay a similar tax. That is actually recognised by Labour’s shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams) I really hope that the hon. Members for Ilford North (Wes Streeting), for Bristol East (Kerry McCarthy), for Bootle (Peter Dowd), for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty) and for Feltham and Heston (Seema Malhotra) are not disowning the self-employment review and commission that was launched last November by the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth, who said that one of the five principles of Labour’s self-employment commission was that self-employed NICs should rise towards employee levels. She went on to say: "We cannot expect employees to continue to pay more into the system while offering equality of entitlements across employment status." I realise that Labour’s Front Bench rotates with dizzying speed—[Interruption.]
Budget Resolutions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Jane Ellison (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. They don’t like it up ’em I realise that the Labour Front Benchers rotate with dizzying speed, but I suggest that Labour Members look at the self-employment commission that they launched only last November. The majority of people who are affected by the change will be better off from the combined changes to national insurance contributions. Only someone with profits of more than £16,250 will have to pay more and, as some hon. Members have remarked, the new state pension is worth an extra £1,800 of pension entitlement to those who will now be on it. That is something that the Federation of Small Businesses, among others, has campaigned for It is obvious from the critique we have been offered by those on the Opposition Benches that, while they have a plethora of suggestions about how to raise taxes and raise spending, they have absolutely no coherent alternative economic policy. That was clearly in evidence yesterday, in the response we heard from the Leader of the Opposition, and the fact that there are so many former Front Benchers sat behind today’s Front Benchers is also testimony to it. We need to get spending and revenue-raising in balance; that is the mark of a responsible Government, and that balance is what allows us to safeguard the services we all value for the future.
Tourism — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.; What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): Southend, of course, is a wonderful tourist destination, with the longest pleasure pier in the world. London Southend airport flies to 26 international destinations. The airport does not do Brussels, however, but it does do Europe. Will the Minister, on his re-election, agree to come to Southend to discuss how a new, emboldened Britain can do the European Union and the country a good job globally with trade with all nation states?
Tourism — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Transportation
Questions: What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.; What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman should be more optimistic. We have the largest aviation network in Europe and the third largest in the world, handling more than 250 million passengers and 2.3 million tonnes of cargo last year. We are working closely with the industry and are confident that securing a deal on aviation will be in the interests of both the UK and the EU.
Tourism — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.; What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): Southampton airport in my Eastleigh constituency provides regular flights to Amsterdam and therefore more than 55 African nations, driving, among other things, bilateral trade. Will the Minister outline what his Department is doing to promote similar initiatives to bring benefits to the UK economy ready for leaving the EU?
Tourism — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.; What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right to champion the aviation routes from her constituency, and of course the UK, as a global nation, will continue to want to trade with both Europe and the wider world. Having strong aviation links and liberal access for aviation will be an important part of that.
Tourism — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Education
Questions: What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.; What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend, who is a great champion for his local area, is right to raise this issue, and we have discussed with the tourism and hospitality industry the importance of attracting people with language skills. One aspect we are looking at is how, through negotiations, we might be able to continue engagement with the Erasmus programme in the future, but there are many other ways in which we need to boost our skills domestically, and boosting languages will be very important to a global Britain.
Tourism — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.; What recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of the tourism sector on the implications for that sector of the UK leaving the EU.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): One of our highest priorities in these negotiations and in our whole strategy for the UK’s exit from the EU is to secure the soft border that exists, to make sure that there is no return to the hard borders of the past and that the economic progress we see as a result of north-south tourism within the island of Ireland continues, and to ensure that those bodies can be in place. I assure the hon. Lady that this is an issue on which we will continue to engage, and we will continue to promote the excellent tourism offer in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Whether he has had discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin on that party’s priorities for Northern Ireland in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.; Whether he has had discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin on that party’s priorities for Northern Ireland in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): The Northern Ireland Executive, including Sinn Féin Ministers, have participated in the Joint Ministerial Committee processes, but to discuss our preparations for exit and ensure that we can deliver an approach that works for the whole and each part of the UK we want to see the political situation in Northern Ireland resolved and Assembly government continuing. That is what the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working hard to achieve.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Whether he has had discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin on that party’s priorities for Northern Ireland in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.; Whether he has had discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin on that party’s priorities for Northern Ireland in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Prime Minister are fully committed to ensuring that as we establish our negotiating position, the unique interests of Northern Ireland are protected and advanced. I touched earlier on the issue of the common travel area. They have a clear understanding of the range of views from across Northern Ireland, and we will continue to champion the interests of Northern Ireland in the coming months. We remain committed to continuing to work with all parties and a new Executive in the months ahead, as part of our effort to ensure that we deliver a good deal for the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Whether he has had discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin on that party’s priorities for Northern Ireland in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.; Whether he has had discussions with representatives of Sinn Féin on that party’s priorities for Northern Ireland in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. My hon. Friend is right to raise that point. We must work continuously to ensure that we protect the peace, the agreements that underpin it and the close and unique relationship between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, which is in a better state than it has been in decades.
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): We want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in European markets, and to let European businesses do the same in the UK. Financial services is one area for which a bold and ambitious trade agreement will be sought, and we will continue to talk to the industry as we prepare for negotiations. The Government have made it clear that we believe implementation periods will be important to minimise disruption, and the industry has welcomed that. The great repeal Bill will prepare the ground for the UK’s exit so that on the day we leave there is as little disruption and as much certainty and continuity as possible. A strong, stable Conservative Government will be best placed to deliver that.
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Stephen William Hammond (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful for the confirmation that the Government intend to include financial services in the free trade agreement. Will the Minister confirm that we will negotiate to ensure maximum access for licensed firms on the basis of mutual recognition and an equivalence regime?
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend absolutely right. As a priority, we are pursuing a bold and ambitious trade agreement with the European Union. That agreement should be of greater scope and ambition than any seen before it, so that it covers sectors that are crucial to our linked economies, such as financial services. We know that our European neighbours have a stake in this, too, because they do not want European firms to lose access to the City of London’s financial services. Financial stability is important, not only for the UK but for the whole of Europe, which is one reason why we want to reach a deal with the EU on financial services. We will seek to establish strong co-operative oversight arrangements with the EU and will continue to support and implement international standards to safely serve the UK, European and global economy.
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Macroeconomics
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): I will follow your guidance, Mr Speaker I am delighted that the Government are standing up for every sector of our economy, including the financial services sector. The hon. Gentleman neatly points out that the financial services sector matters not only in the City of London but throughout the country, in constituencies such as his. We will fight for those jobs; unfortunately, every Labour Government in history has destroyed jobs.
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: I hope you will indulge me for a moment, Mr Speaker. When I took my oath, you told me that my voice would be heard in this Chamber, and you have kept your word. You have been a champion for Back Benchers and I thank you for that.At the start of the week, the EU 27 firmed up their Brexit negotiating guidelines and inserted a new paragraph that states:“Any future framework should safeguard financial stability in the Union and respect its regulatory and supervisory regime and standards and their application.” Following this major blow to the Prime Minister’s unworkable plans for a hard Tory Brexit, can we expect to see a change in the Conservative manifesto?
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): We recognise the importance of regulatory oversight and mutual regulatory understanding as we move towards a comprehensive trade agreement with the European Union. One thing I have learned while doing this job is the huge respect in which UK regulators are held around the whole of Europe. I think we have some of the best financial regulators in the world.
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: I hope you will indulge me for a moment, Mr Speaker. When I took my oath, you told me that my voice would be heard in this Chamber, and you have kept your word. You have been a champion for Back Benchers and I thank you for that.At the start of the week, the EU 27 firmed up their Brexit negotiating guidelines and inserted a new paragraph that states:“Any future framework should safeguard financial stability in the Union and respect its regulatory and supervisory regime and standards and their application.” Following this major blow to the Prime Minister’s unworkable plans for a hard Tory Brexit, can we expect to see a change in the Conservative manifesto?
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): As a priority, we are pursuing the most ambitious trade agreement that has ever been achieved with the European Union. Its scope and ambition should be greater than that of any agreement before it. The financial services market access—access for European firms to the UK and access for UK firms to Europe—is hugely important. That is what we are focused on achieving. Let me say to the hon. Gentleman that the position of his party that any deal is better than no deal is an absurdity when it comes to defending the national interests of this country. We need to get the right deal and to be able to say to the other side that if they do not offer us the right deal the UK will manage and take the right steps to protect itself. Of course our focus should be on getting the best deal.
Financial Services Industry — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: I hope you will indulge me for a moment, Mr Speaker. When I took my oath, you told me that my voice would be heard in this Chamber, and you have kept your word. You have been a champion for Back Benchers and I thank you for that.At the start of the week, the EU 27 firmed up their Brexit negotiating guidelines and inserted a new paragraph that states:“Any future framework should safeguard financial stability in the Union and respect its regulatory and supervisory regime and standards and their application.” Following this major blow to the Prime Minister’s unworkable plans for a hard Tory Brexit, can we expect to see a change in the Conservative manifesto?
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): I say gently to the hon. Gentleman that we do not write the guidelines, but we recognise that financial services will be part of a comprehensive deal. We have talked about a comprehensive free trade agreement, and it certainly has not been ruled out. What the EU has said is that it does not want to do separate sectoral deals—well, actually, nor do we. We want the most comprehensive trade agreement available and we think that that should include services, including financial services.
Employment and Workers' Rights — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Labor
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): I shall start by saying that I am going to disappoint the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman) as I will stick to my brief The White Paper published on 30 March sets out that the employment and workers’ rights that are enjoyed under EU law will continue to be available in UK law after we have left the European Union as the great repeal Bill will convert EU law into domestic law. This will give certainty and continuity to employees and employers alike, creating stability in which the United Kingdom can grow and thrive.
Employment and Workers' Rights — House of Commons, 2017-04-27
Topic: Labor
Michael James Tomlinson-Mynors (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer. Since the Health and Morals of Apprentices Act, it is the Conservatives who first protected workers’ rights and put those protections on to the statute book. Will he confirm that, post-Brexit, we will continue to do so not only to protect them, but to enhance them, thereby proving that we are the real workers’ party?