argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Income tax (charge) — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Kevin Paul Hollinrake (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely agree with that, and we must have oversight of that. We also have to make sure that all banks are included in these emergency loan schemes, such as business interruption loans. At the moment, some of the major banks, such as OakNorth, are not in that scheme, because they are not overseen by the British Business Bank. We need to see a widening of the scope of the scheme. We need to do a lot more for micro-businesses, the self-employed and sole traders. I have not seen a lot of support for those people at the moment The big thing I want to say is about how the support is provided. The £330 billion of support is great, but businesses will never again see the income lost, so in my view support cannot purely be through loans. We have combine loans—soft loans, interest-free loans or whatever—with putting grants into these businesses, otherwise we are just kicking the can down the road. We cannot simply say that businesses will have to pay, which is what we are saying if they are loans. We are going to have to go further, and that will put up the national debt by a significant degree: £100 billion, £200 billion or probably £300 billion. I am sure we will get the Opposition’s support for that. We have to see businesses through this time, because we will pay for it whatever happens I really welcome the measures from the Chancellor so far, and there are great measures again today. We must get through this. We have to give businesses confidence and to say to consumers: "You won’t lose your job. You won’t lose your business. We will get you through this." That is what we have to say, and that way we will avoid the worst possible side of recession, we will save jobs and we will save businesses. It is the right thing to say, and I am absolutely confident that the Chancellor will do it.
Income tax (charge) — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Public Lands
Peter James Guy Aldous (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is spot on. To make the most of this opportunity, we need to invest in infra- structure—in port infrastructure, markets and processing factories. That would be so much help to coastal communities that have been left behind In Lowestoft, we are close to the main cluster of offshore wind farms in UK coastal waters. We are also an area of the southern North sea UK continental shelf, which has an important role to play in the transition to the low-carbon economy, and where there will be an enormous amount of work in the decommissioning of gas and oil facilities over the next decade The Budget places much emphasis on free ports. It is good news that the Government recognise the important role that ports play, but it is vital that free ports add to the UK’s trade, making our ports more attractive than their international competitors, rather than diverting business from one UK port to another Coastal communities along the East Anglian coast face a significant challenge from coastal erosion and storm surges. The sea does not just damage homes and businesses; ultimately, it destroys them. The Lowestoft flood defence scheme will remove that threat. At present, it is only part funded, so it is good news that the Budget recognises the threat of coastal erosion, provides an additional £5.2 billion for flood defences and includes an undertaking to carry out a review of the Green Book.
Income tax (charge) — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Public Lands
Ben Everitt (Conservative, Centre-right): It is a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous), who spoke passionately about coastal communities. My beautiful constituency of Milton Keynes North is not famously coastal, although we apparently have more miles of shoreline than Jersey; the definition of shoreline is stretched somewhat to include the many beautiful lakes that Milton Keynes has.
Income tax (charge) — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Desmond Angus Swayne (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my hon. Friend recall a poster from the 2010 election campaign? It had a picture of a baby and the slogan, "He’s got his mother’s eyes, his father’s hair and Gordon Brown’s debt". Does he think that future generations will applaud us for the action that we are taking, or curse us?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for his thoughtful support. I can tell him that we are working on those proposals urgently and plan to have answers for both him and the House in the coming days, ideally next week, with an early thought of what we can do. As I said, designing these schemes will take an appropriate amount of diligence and care. That is what we are focused on urgently as we speak. He is right: this is about hours, not days and weeks.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Harriett Mary Morison Baldwin (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Chancellor and his team for all that has been announced today. I know that those in the retail hospitality sector in my constituency will be very pleased to hear about it There is a sector of the retail market that is doing incredibly well, and that is the supermarkets. Many of my constituents are worried because they rely on home deliveries from supermarkets. Can the Chancellor update us on what talks he and his colleagues are having with the supermarket industry about increasing capacity for home delivery?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I say to the right hon. Gentleman that it is more important that we get this right than rush to things that will not work, but he can rest assured that we agree wholeheartedly with the ambitions of what he says, but delivering them and getting it right are vital and that is what we are working on doing.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I appreciate the point my hon. Friend is making. The steps today on insurance are welcome, but he is right to identify that retrospectively changing the situation that insurers would have reserved against could have a very significant impact on their solvency, which would send a ripple effect throughout the insurance market. That is not something that any of us would want to see.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): We have provided half a billion pounds specifically to local authorities to provide extra support, particularly to help people with housing costs, notably council tax. That will make an enormous difference to people on the ground.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Mark Simon Eastwood (Conservative, Centre-right): Many mortgage payers in my constituency will welcome the three-month holiday announced today. However, can the Chancellor confirm whether this will be implemented automatically by the banks and mortgage lenders, or will borrowers need to apply?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): Borrowers can speak to their mortgage provider and, owing to the work of my right hon. Friend today, they should receive a three-month mortgage holiday, depending on their circumstance as explained, but it should be reasonably automatic thereafter.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his constructive attitude, and I look forward to working with him. The loan terms will be interest-free for six months. Because of the liquidity that has been provided by the Bank of England, they will be incredibly cheap, and they will be available on a rolling basis for commercial paper, so they will be loans that are accessible and very valuable to businesses. They will be ready from next week.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Paul John Holmes (Conservative, Centre-right): The measures announced by the Chancellor should be welcomed, but many of my constituents who are self-employed are worried because their cash flow has stopped now. When can we expect further announcements on how we are going to help these people? Will he consider extending the loans he has made available to businesses to cover this category of people?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I can confirm to my hon. Friend that the loans available already will be available to those who are self-employed and that many of them, those who do have small properties, will benefit from the business rate reliefs and grants too.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Atta-Ur-Rehman Chishti (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much welcome the Chancellor’s statement and all that the Government are doing to support individuals and businesses in my constituency. I have a specific point for him that has been raised with me by the chairman of Gillingham football club. They are in league 1, but this also covers clubs in league 2. A lot of the matches for those clubs have been postponed. They rely on matchday income to support them. What will be done to work with those smaller football clubs and organisations to ensure that their Her Majesty’s Customs and Revenue payments are dealt with adequately and that they are given soft loans over a certain period to ensure that they can get through these challenging, difficult circumstances?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend’s football club, like many others, will be eligible for the business rates relief measures and grants that I have announced today. On HMRC, we activated Time to Pay last week, and there are now 2,000 specific, dedicated HMRC officers ready to take the calls of businesses such as Gillingham football club, in order to provide exactly what he suggested: a deferral for their tax payments and an agreed schedule for paying them back.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alun Hugh Cairns (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for the scale of the package that he has announced, and I recognise the significance of the Barnett consequentials that will come from it. Does he agree that simplicity and commonality are key features? It was only late yesterday that the Welsh Government matched the business rate package, which left—[Interruption.] It left many businesspeople in my constituency anxious before the support was made available. Does my right hon. Friend recognise that commonality will be an important theme?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Robert Alexander Courts (Conservative, Centre-right): I warmly welcome the package that has been announced today, but my constituency is home to one of the largest concentrations of self-employed people in the country. Will the Chancellor please commit to looking at what further help might be given for them? Will he also please look at A2 properties, which do not currently receive business rates relief, and see whether some of those businesses—such as estate agents on the high streets—can be helped?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I know that my hon. Friend is a champion of the self-employed. Some of the measures announced last week at the Budget will benefit them, as will, indeed, some of the loan and other grant measures announced today, depending on their circumstances, but my hon. Friend is right and we will of course keep an eye on that issue as we develop these packages.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Natalie Cecilia Elphicke (Conservative, Centre-right): At a time of national emergency and national need, Dover once again stands ready to do its duty. The Port of Dover, the hauliers and the ferry companies will be moving the goods, medicines and resources that are needed to keep our country safe and fed. Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that the port, transport, ferry companies, Border Force and all the hard-working local workers in my constituency will be given the necessary financial and practical assistance so that they can do their duty for our country?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): It is because of what was announced yesterday and the particular impact on the hospitality sector that today we have announced a series of steps of considerable support for that sector. As I have already said, when it comes to renting, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government will shortly be announcing measures to protect renters in these circumstances, and we have strengthened the safety net, the security, for people to fall back on.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much appreciate the strains that business cash flows are under, which is why, today, we have already taken steps with the announcement of new cash grants of £10,000, £25,000 and an extension of the business rate holiday to thousands more businesses.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Aaron Stuart Bell (Conservative, Centre-right): I asked for more firepower at half-past 4 this afternoon, and it is fair to say that the Chancellor has delivered. However, a number of businesses whose entire model has been undermined, such as village pubs and restaurants, are facing a very uncertain year. On that note, may I ask him what he proposes that they should do? Does he welcome the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government that such businesses can now operate as takeaways, which will help to solve some of the problems of self-isolation as well?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an excellent point about the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and what he has done. I think that it will make an enormous difference, as will the cash support that we have provided today to pubs and restaurants in his constituency and elsewhere across the country.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Timothy Paul Loughton (Conservative, Centre-right): These measures are indeed bold, and will provide practical support. I particularly look forward to further information about renters and measures for the childcare and nursery sector, which was generally omitted from the Budget last week and is in a fragile state. The hospitality industry, which the Chancellor rightly singled out—it is our third largest industry—is laying off people, and the number of customers has absolutely collapsed. I am told that they are approaching banks and being told, "We may be able to get something for you in April." Can he instil a sense of urgency in the banks and make sure that the grants from central Government are immediate so that people do not have to wait for them, which could make the difference to their being there in a few weeks’ time or not?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I can tell my hon. Friend that the grant schemes are being delivered in the coming weeks. Businesses will receive a letter from local authorities. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is doing that work at pace. With regard to the loan schemes, that will not take until April—they will be ready to access for business from the start of next week.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I refer the hon. Lady to the measures in the Budget last week, particularly on homelessness and rough sleeping. We announced £640 million to build 6,000 more units and to provide support for substance abuse support services, once people are off the streets, to help them tackle their long-term addictions. That money will make an enormous difference and build on the good work of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is right to highlight the need to provide support for businesses with their fixed costs, rather than their variable ones. That is what we need to help bridge through—the cash grants today related to rateable value, with reference directly to rent payments—but he is right that other fixed costs are people, which is why we are working up measures in that area.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): The measures announced by my right hon. Friend are extremely welcome, and he should be congratulated on them. For many people, including freelancers and those working in the gig economy, the most vital thing over the next few weeks will be some kind of guarantee of continuing income, so they can know that they can continue to pay their bills. Will those measures and the ones that he says are to come over the next few days guarantee that vital help?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to look specifically at the issue that my right hon. Friend has raised, but the measures that we took last week will provide immediate support to many of her constituents in that situation.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
David Gordon Mundell (Conservative, Centre-right): I was very pleased this evening when Nicola Sturgeon confirmed to me promptly that every penny of the likely £1.9 billion that the Scottish Government will receive as a result of today’s announcement will go directly to businesses and individuals. It is very important that we have that common approach across the United Kingdom from Governments, but it is also important that we have a common approach from banks. The Chancellor has referenced the banks in relation to his loan and grant schemes, but many businesses have existing loan arrangements with the banks. What confirmation does he have from the banks that they will not seek to change those arrangements or to take advantage of the situation where people may be able to get Government money to repay those loans?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I can tell my right hon. Friend that we have had extensive discussions with the banks just this week, and they have outlined their forbearance measures. I very much expect them to honour those commitments. He is absolutely right with his point that we will get through this as one United Kingdom.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Griffith (Conservative, Centre-right): Difficult times require bold measures, and I commend my right hon. Friend for twice in the space of a week coming to this House and demonstrating that he will do whatever it takes. I support the comments on employment support, but may I ask him also to extend hospitality and leisure benefits to the equally hard-pressed exhibition sector?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for his support. With regard to the exhibition sector, those that have physical properties and business rates will be eligible for the scheme that we announced today and the cash grant. I am happy to have further conversations with him as well.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): We already took extensive measures last week to strengthen our safety net for vulnerable people. I firmly believe that the best way to help all people through this is to protect their jobs, and that is why the actions we have taken today to support business cash flows provide the best means of doing exactly that.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Stephen Daniel Double (Conservative, Centre-right): I warmly welcome the bold and decisive steps that the Chancellor has taken today, which will be welcomed by many businesses in mid-Cornwall, particularly those in the hospitality sector I want to raise something that many Members have already raised—the self-employed and small businesses that do not own premises and therefore will not benefit from the measures on business rates and grants. Many people such as taxi drivers, window cleaners, electricians and plumbers have overheads that are not rent, because they are keeping vehicles on the roads. Will he urgently look at what he can do to get cash to those people, so that they can keep their businesses going?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to look at all the measures that my hon. Friend suggested. The steps we took last week will provide immediate support for those people, and the further measures that are coming will provide a degree of relief for those who have property and small businesses. Of course, they will be able to access the loans that we have talked about, but he is right to highlight the importance of those who are self-employed. They deserve our support, and indeed, last week and this week they are getting it.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to hear those suggestions from the hon. Gentleman. He will have noted the comments made by the Chief Secretary earlier in relation to IR35, and HMRC has activated its time to pay service, but if he sends me the details, I will happily look at that.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Richard Grosvenor Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend my hon. Friend for this raft of packages, although Members on both sides of the House clearly feel that there is still a lot more to do. I shudder at the administrative task ahead of him to ensure that all this money gets to the right people at the right time. Should we not bring back the small bank branches that have closed over the years, particularly in rural communities that simply do not have access to them?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of rural communities. My right hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury has done a sterling job of preserving access to cash for those communities, and we have said that we will legislate to do more, but in the short term, we will keep that under review.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Kevin Paul Hollinrake (Conservative, Centre-right): I warmly welcome this package of support for small businesses, which has been warmly welcomed by a number of businesspeople who have already contacted me. The business interruption loan scheme is a key part of this, but some lenders cannot access that scheme because they are not registered with the British Business Bank, and it would take months for them to do so. Will the Chancellor act now to ensure that all lenders can access that scheme?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for his comments. He is right: we want this scheme to be available through as many branches and outlets as possible. We are urgently working with the Prudential Regulation Authority to see whether we can onboard new providers at pace. He will understand that there are regulatory requirements, but we are seeing what we can do to speed that up.