argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Contaminated Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Law and Crime
Chloe Rebecca Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): I believe I have already answered those questions in answer to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North, but I reiterate that the Government expect to be able to announce the name of the judge leading this inquiry as soon as possible—very shortly indeed. Mr Speaker, you have already heard me refer to my personal interest in seeing this happen and the same goes for every member of this Government. This is too important an issue to play party politics with, which I am sure the hon. Lady on the Labour Front Bench was not doing. None the less, let me reiterate that I, too, want to see this done for the sake of victims and for the sake of those who have asked that this should be a judge-led inquiry. That means getting it right and taking the necessary time to do this properly—not more time than is necessary, but the right amount of time that is needed. I want there to be confidence that the inquiry will get to the root of the answers.
Contaminated Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Law and Crime
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Prime Minister’s decision to set up a full inquiry and allocate a judge. There were 800 responses to the recent consultation, so can the Minister assure me that those people will all get an individual response and that families and victims will always be at the heart of this because they have waited for far too long for answers?
Contaminated Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Law and Crime
Chloe Rebecca Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): Indeed, and that was why I was unable to answer the question of the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood (Cat Smith), who asked me to provide the terms of reference to the House or to provide a timetable for when I would do so. The hon. Gentleman is exactly right that it will be for an independent judge to do all those things, and rightly so I dispute the hon. Gentleman’s analogy about cutting grass—in fact, I think it makes light of the situation. The fact is that we have listened and responded to the concerns of those who thought that the Department of Health was not the correct body to run things. We have listened and responded to those who have said that they would like a judge to lead the inquiry. We are doing the right things in response to what victims have asked for, and while it will take a little time to put all that in place, I hope that the correct answers will be delivered.
Contaminated Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Government Operations
Chloe Rebecca Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): I, too, remember speaking on behalf of my constituents in a Backbench Business Committee debate, as many of us have done I thank the hon. Member for Coventry North West (Mr Robinson) for his contribution, and for his recognition that this is a cross-party affair. It has been because of the length of time—decades—it has taken to get to today. I particularly welcome his recognition that the Government are now acting and that they, in his words, deserve credit for doing so As I said to the hon. Member for Linlithgow and East Falkirk (Martyn Day), there are certain categories of documents that will be desirable when executing this inquiry. As I said before, the Government will give the inquiry all the resources necessary, so that it can complete its work. We would all wish to see an inquiry that is comprehensive, independent and effective for the families who need answers after too many years.
Contaminated Blood Inquiry — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Law and Crime
Chloe Rebecca Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): Mr Speaker, I do not think we will need to trouble either you or hon. Members for another urgent question. I do expect us to be able to return promptly to the House with an update—the update that the House rightly asks for and our constituents and the victims of this scandal rightly require. We are working hard and fast so that victims come first and can be served by a judge as quickly as possible.
Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Labor
Tobias Martin Ellwood (Conservative, Centre-right): If I may, I will come to how we recognise and acknowledge the impact of the Bill, which I think will answer the hon. Gentleman’s question We believe that these measures, along with a range of others that the Department is introducing, will impact on recruitment and retention, not immediately but in the longer term. We should also be clear that we are competing with other, wider societal factors that are affecting our ability to recruit and retain, such as record youth employment and a smaller number of 16 to 24-year-olds entering the workforce over the next few years. This is an ongoing journey of change, which will be undertaken at a steady rather than a high-speed pace, against a background of continuing societal change. However, we fully recognise the importance of maintaining effective metrics following the introduction of these measures, to enable us to judge how well they are working and whether we need to make other changes.
Armed Forces (Flexible Working) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Labor
Tobias Martin Ellwood (Conservative, Centre-right): It is a straightforward question, and I did tell the hon. Gentleman that I would get to it shortly. I then gave way to another Member and he asked me the same question again. If I can make a little progress, before he asks me a third time, I am sure we will get to where we want to be We absolutely recognise the importance of keeping the effect of these changes under continuous review, in terms of the benefits to our personnel and the impact on recruitment, retention and diversity. I remind hon. Members that the overall number of personnel taking up the new opportunities will initially be small and that flexible working is but one of several initiatives aimed at improving recruitment and retention in the longer term. It would therefore be extremely difficult to isolate the impact on recruitment and retention that is due solely to the Bill. Introducing a system of measurement would be difficult and would delay what we are trying to achieve.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Transportation
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 2—Public facility operators: provision of public charging points— ‘(1) Regulations may impose requirements on owners and operators of public facilities falling within a prescribed description, in connection with the provision on their premises of public charging points (2) Regulations under subsection (1) may, for example— (a) require owners and operators of public facilities to provide public charging points; (b) require owners and operators of public facilities to work with local authorities on the provision of public charging points; (c) require public charging points to be available for use at prescribed times; and (d) require services or facilities prescribed by the regulations to be provided in connection with public charging points (3) In this section "public facilities" means— (a) supermarkets; (b) public car parks; (c) airports; (d) train stations; and (e) such other public facilities as prescribed in regulations.’ This new clause would provide the Secretary of State with the power to make regulations requiring owners and operators of certain public facilities to work with local authorities to provide public charging points and to ensure that public charging points are maintained and easily accessible to the public. New clause 3—Charging points strategy: public transport and commercial vehicles— ‘(1) The Secretary of State must, within 12 months of this Act receiving Royal Assent, lay a report before Parliament setting out a comprehensive UK charging points strategy for public transport and commercial vehicles (2) The report must, in particular, consider the establishment of charging points for— (a) buses; (b) electric bikes and other mobility vehicles; (c) haulage vehicles; (d) commercial vehicle fleets; and (e) such other public transport and commercial vehicles as considered relevant by the Secretary of State.’ This new clause would require the Secretary of State to set out a strategy for establishing charging points for public transport and commercial vehicles. Government amendments 1 to 3.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): Following a fruitful debate in Committee, the Government decided to table new clause 1 to part 2 of the Bill. Smart charge points will play a vital role in managing the demand on the grid created by charging electric vehicles. Estimates from the national grid suggest that the increase in peak demand caused by electric vehicles could be significantly reduced by smart charging. Less electricity generation and fewer network upgrades would be required, thereby reducing energy costs and costs to bill payers. Smart charging can not only ensure that vehicle owners receive the required amount of electricity within the time required, but adapt power flow to meet the needs of consumers and various parties in the energy system.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Gregory Knight (Conservative, Centre-right): I support the new clause because smart charging is the way forward. Filling station owners currently need to display the price per unit of their petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas on a large sign, so that motorists can decide whether to go to that particular station before they enter the forecourt. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is essential that electric charging points are required to display similar information?
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I certainly agree that consistency in the presentation of information is important, and I take my right hon. Friend’s wider point about whether such information should be displayed in the same way as petrol prices. He makes a valuable contribution to the debate.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Hugo Swire (Conservative, Centre-right): One of the most frustrating aspects of filling up a car is the tax on top of the cost of the fuel itself. Do the Government have any intention to levy any form of taxation on electricity bought at petrol stations?
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Technology
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): A considerable amount of work is being done in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on how data is to be handled in terms of safety on the autonomous vehicles side. As for the electricity side, there is no reason to think that the protocols that are being developed will impinge upon privacy, but that remains a matter for definition in future secondary legislation.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Oliver Letwin (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the Government for bringing forward this new clause, for which I argued in Committee, and I think the drafting is appropriate. The answer to the question asked by the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman) is that the data transmitted will be highly aggregated and will be used by the grid and DNOs to manage the system better. It is important that the Government persist with this change, because it alone provides the basis for the kind of interactivity that we need between electric vehicles, as a latent battery for the country, and the grid.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): As I am sure the Secretary of State will say on Third Reading, we are all in the debt of my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Sir Oliver Letwin) for his excellent work in Committee, of which this change is a good example New clause 1 addresses concerns raised in Committee by introducing a requirement for the continuing transmission of data from charge points to prescribed persons, who could include the national grid and distribution network operators. Consumers will be still encouraged to keep the smart functionality operational once installed, with regulations taken forward only if the information required for effective energy infrastructure planning is not made available. Full consultation will be carried out before regulations are brought forward.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): This country is publicly recognised as being at the forefront of a group of nations that is leading the way on electric car infrastructure. Something like 11,500 charge points have already been installed, and the Bill provides plenty of scope to encourage and support further installations Two further consequential amendments are required to clause 14, which concerns the Secretary of State’s power to create exceptions in regulations and to determine that regulations should not apply to certain persons or things. The amendments ensure that the new clause is fully operative within the Bill This change is illustrative of the rigorous and constructive discussion of the Bill in Committee, the members of which I thank again for their time and dedication, which has resulted in a better product.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan (Conservative, Centre-right): I did not have an opportunity to serve in Committee, but I am privileged to be the chairman of the all-party group on electric and automated vehicles. Would the Minister care to comment on the latest apps, such as that which allows Tesla drivers to plug in their vehicle when renewables are being used, thereby reducing the cost of electric motoring even further and, more importantly, making electric motoring very, very green?
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
John Henry Hayes (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend knows, the new clause was tabled at my behest, having been prompted by my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Sir Oliver Letwin) in Committee. Ruskin said "when we build, let us think that we build for ever." What we build in respect of electric charging points is vital. The Minister will be familiar with the RAC Foundation’s analysis in "Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure—What Can Be Done", which shows that, although the number of charging points is growing reasonably quickly, the number of rapid charging points is growing much more slowly. Is it not vital that, in his work to build this infrastructure so that it is fit for purpose, account should be taken of the need for more rapid charging points?
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Government Operations
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): We must all thank my right hon. Friend—I am sure the Secretary of State will want to echo my thanks—for the careful, judicious and wise way in which he has hitherto steered this Bill and its predecessor, including in Committee. He quotes Ruskin to good effect, and secondary legislation under the Bill will allow us to reflect changes in the market. My right hon. Friend’s general point is absolutely right and, as he well knows, it is part of the purpose of this Bill Amendment 1 to clause 13 will provide more clarification about the enforcement of regulations under part 2 of the Bill. It provides for an appropriate civil enforcement regime to ensure that any requirement under the power can be properly enforced so that the desired effects are achieved. The clause gives explicit examples of the expected elements of such a regime, including details about identifying failures of compliance. The amendment adds further detail to what one should expect to be included in regulations to assist inspectors in determining whether a breach of the rules has taken place Examples of that detail include taking photographs or removing materials from a site to provide evidence of compliance or non-compliance when inspections are carried out. In general, the Government aspire to be as transparent as possible regarding what they intend to include in regulations, and the amendment adds further clarity on what will be included in the inspection regime.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): At the moment, there are many mild yet reducing impediments to buying an electric car, such as range anxiety and the resale amounts that might be achieved. The hon. Gentleman is right to point out the importance of the charging network. As he will know, the Government have put in place substantial funding not merely for the plug-in car grant, but for a £200 million commitment, to be matched by a private commitment, to create a charging infrastructure investment fund that is dedicated to addressing precisely the issues he describes New clause 2, which was tabled by the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse), understandably highlights many other locations, such as supermarkets and hotels, where it might be appropriate to require the installation of charging facilities. We want people across the country to have the opportunity to make the transition to buying and using an electric vehicle. The vast majority of electric vehicle drivers choose to charge their car at home overnight, but appropriate and adequate provision of public charging is still vital to supporting thousands more electric vehicles We understand that regulating for provision in the wide range of areas contemplated in the new clause will not always be the right approach—sometimes the carrot is more important than the stick. The Government already offer a variety of grants, schemes and policy measures to support the installation of charge points, where they are needed, in the types of locations identified. For example, we are committed to placing more emphasis on the delivery of charge points at railway stations as part of the franchising process. Planning policy, and the national planning policy framework in particular, is proving to be an important tool in leveraging infrastructure and future-proofing developments.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): By tabling new clause 2, the hon. Lady has placed the issue firmly and properly on the public record. The new clause would require owners and operators of "public facilities," which is a wide term, to provide public charging points. Those public facilities would include: "supermarkets; public car parks; airports; train stations; and such other public facilities" That is a very wide definition, and it does not specifically address the issue of range anxiety. The attraction of targeting large fuel retailers and motorway service stations, as we have done, is that doing so precisely addresses concerns about range anxiety.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): The key point is that we must allow the market to operate and require installation only in places where we can be certain that it will serve a public purpose. That is the balance that the Bill is designed to strike. Many supermarkets, of course, will regard fitting charging stations and charging points as a competitive advantage, and the same will be true of the other locations set out in new clause 2 In addition to the measures I have described, enhanced capital allowances have also been introduced as a tax relief for companies that support the development and installation of charging equipment for electric vehicles. The first-year allowance of 100% allows businesses to deduct charge point investments from their pre-tax profits in the year of purchase. As a result of those measures, and because of the opportunities in this new market, the private sector is increasingly taking the lead, with chargers going in at destinations including hotels and supermarkets.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Transportation
Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan (Conservative, Centre-right): I appreciate that the Minister wants the market to apply, but London Underground owns the car parks at my stations in Chesham and Amersham. What incentive can he give London Underground and the Mayor of London to install more charging points in those carparks? My constituents do not have a single vote for a member of the London Assembly or for the Mayor of London. Without a carrot or a stick, there is no reason for them to install the charging points. Can the Minister help?
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Transportation
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is talking about a democratic deficit as much as a failure of public policy to seize the opportunity. Unfortunately, as she knows, the Mayor of London is outside my Department’s policy remit and has separate devolved budgets. She makes the wider point well that there is a democratic gap that means that the Mayor of London cannot be held to account for such actions As a result of the measures that I have described, the private sector is taking the lead. Further to our consultation, we have suggested that it would be more appropriate to mandate provision at sites, such as fuel retailers and service areas, that are already invested in providing services related to vehicle refuelling. By that means, we can address concerns about range anxiety without placing regulation on others that might be unnecessarily burdensome and expensive to comply with.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Hugo Swire (Conservative, Centre-right): Is the hon. Gentleman reassured about the transmission of data relating to rural petrol stations, which may not use much electricity—they may not be used very often? Is he assured that the transmission of such data elsewhere may lead to a tendency for such petrol stations not to maintain that service in the way that they might, thus discriminating against more remote areas?
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Energy
Iain Aitken Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to support Government new clause 1 and the consequential amendments I rise to make one point only on a matter that was discussed in Committee, particularly when we took evidence from witnesses before line-by-line consideration commenced. It follows on from the point the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner), made about the need for the charging network to be as accessible and easy-to-use as possible, so that we can encourage the uptake of electric vehicles. One of the key requests was that we have a simplified payment system for use of the charge-points. There is evidence from Ireland and the state of California that some Government intervention was required to achieve a harmonised payment system, before which users were having to carry around a multiplicity of payment cards to use the system. New clause 1, in conjunction with clause 9, will give the Government sufficient powers to nudge the industry to achieve that. I just wanted to put on the record that that requirement will be integral to making the charging system and the uptake of electric cars as complete as we would like.
Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Transportation
Michelle Emma May Elizabeth Donelan (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the hon. Lady share my disappointment that only five councils in the UK have taken advantage of the Government’s on-street residential charging point scheme, which offers to fund 75% of the cost of creating charging points?